Social Work and Disasters: A Handbook for Practice

Disasters are increasing in frequency and intensity across the world, causing significant destruction to individuals and communities. Yet many social workers are ill-prepared for the demands of this field of practice. This book discusses the role of social workers in disaster work, including in disaster-preparedness, during the disaster and in post-disaster practice.

It addresses the complexities of social work disaster practice, noting the need for social workers to understand the language of trauma and to respond effectively. The authors discuss disaster theory and practice, drawing out elements of practice at macro-, meso- and micro-levels and at various stages of the disaster. They examine the factors that shape vulnerability in disasters and draw out the possibility of post-traumatic growth. The final section discusses strategies for self-care in disaster practice, noting the organisational and personal strategies that can be adopted to facilitate the wellbeing of workers in the field.

With real-life case studies from top scholars in the field, this book is essential reading for social work practitioners working in the field of disaster practice, as well as social work students and academics. It will also be useful to other health professionals who wish to understand this field of practice.

Margaret Alston is Emeritus Professor of Social Work at the University of Newcastle, Australia, and Emeritus Professor at Monash University, Australia. Previously, she was Professor and head of Social Work at Monash University for ten years and prior to that Professor of Social Work at Charles Sturt University, Australia. She has headed up the Gender, Leadership and Social Sustainability (GLASS) research unit for several years. She has undertaken multiple studies with people affected by disasters in Australia, the Pacific and South Asia. Her particular focus has been on the gender impacts of disasters. She has published widely in the field of gender and disasters, social work and rural social issues. She has been an invited keynote speaker at a number of national and international conferences.

Tricia Hazeleger is an Australian rural social worker with a professional practice background in generic case work, community development, tertiary social work education, project management, community action research and public service policy development.Tricia was a member of the Victorian Gender and Disaster Taskforce (2014–2017) and the Municipal Association of Victoria’s Gender in Emergency Management Advisory Group (2012–2014), co-ordinator of the Gender Edition of the Australian Journal of Emergency Management (2013) and a team member in the international Rebuilding Lives Post Disaster research and subsequent publications (2013–2018).

Desley Hargreaves, PSM, is a Consultant Social Work Practitioner with particular interests in disasters and professional leadership. Prior to her retirement from the Australian Public Service in 2013, Desley headed up the National Social Work Service in Centrelink. Desley has had extensive experience in disaster recovery within Australia, and offshore, including establishing with her team an offshore service to Australians impacted by terrorism or natural disasters in other countries. Desley has published in this field and has been an invited speaker to a number of national and international conferences.