Possibilities of Using Mediation as a Method of Social Work in Response to Current Challenges

Klara Brozovicova, Mirka Necasova

Abstract
OBJECTIVES: The paper deal with the possibility of using mediation as a method of social work in the current social conditions, specifically in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. THEORETICAL BASE: Social work can be defined as a socially constructed activity operating in a social context. The response to social conditions within the profession is expressed through a shift in the interpretation of core values in professional documents. The paper focuses on the possibilities of using mediation as a method of social work in this context. METHODS: This theoretical paper is analysing the possibilities of using mediation as a method of social work in response to new challenges and with regard to the key values contained in the International Code of Ethics for Social Work. OUTCOMES: The analysis shows that mediation is a suitable method that can be used in social work in response to current challenges in a way that corresponds to selected points of the international ethical document. IMPLICATIONS FOR SOCIAL WORK: Based on the results of the analysis, the authors make recommendations for a more emphatic application of mediation and negotiation techniques in social work.

Keywords
mediation, method of social work, values, COVID-19 pandemic

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