Pandemic ethics: Rethinking rights, responsibilities and roles in social work

Abstract This article explores responses of 41 UK social workers to ethical challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic, utilising data from an international qualitative survey and follow-up interviews in 2020. Challenges ranged weighing individual rights/needs against public health risks, deciding whether follow government/agency rules guidance. Drawing on a narrative methodology explore agency, four broad types response are identified: confusion; distress; creativity learning. The considers conditions that promote learning: time slow ethics; teamwork co-creating future professional judgement ethics work. It examines cognitive emotional efforts required make judgements new conditions, when existing practices procedures unavailable, showing how concept ‘ethics work’ assists identifying invisible labour behind decisions challenging circumstances. Whilst some practitioners sought clearer guidance above, others made tailored about what would be right under particular circumstances for people. capacity underpins good practice, has been highlighted pandemic. is important work post-pandemic reclaims role judgement, which undermined by decades managerialism procedure-driven practice.