*The Role of Social Work Practitioners*

Social work practice has always had a relationship with the environment at the micro, mezzo and macro levels of work. It is concerned with the social, economic, political and spiritual aspects of individuals. Social workers, with their skills and experience, are positioned for disaster work in terms of pre-disaster preparation, initial response, post-recovery and follow-up, which encompass crisis intervention. Human rights and the welfare of vulnerable populations are values that guide practice. Being part of an interdisciplinary team forms part of the work of social workers, as their input can help with assessments and intervention in disasters. Social workers' knowledge of resources concerning temporary housing will assist in helping displaced individuals locate shelter as soon as possible.

Social workers, especially community social workers, can meet with members of the community to assess the unmet needs of individuals. Needs assessments are encouraged along with the building of relationships with communities. Social workers intervene at the micro, mezzo and macro levels. This puts workers in good stead to intervene at the community level. The worker possesses a wealth of knowledge concerning available services and resources for assisting persons with unmet needs. The presence of social workers is critical for effective interventions in communities. Most of the time they are untapped resources. More recognition of their roles in society should be encouraged. Continuous training in disaster preparedness and post-disaster intervention is important for social workers. One must remember that social workers can be affected by disasters and may not be able to function to the best of their abilities in the aftermath of such events. Hence, the Association of Caribbean Social Work Educators (ACSWE) can play an integral part. They can assist with the coordination of efforts throughout the region when a disaster event occurs. Relationships can be built with entities that are responsible for interventions after such an event as part of social support. Social workers can also sign up to be part of intervention services in their countries.

As such, they will be part of the pool of human resources considered to assist any Caribbean country, when necessary, be it 24 hours post-disaster, 1-week post-disaster and so on. Training in crisis intervention can assist social workers in sharpening their skills to immediately intervene in the lives of others after disasters. People need to know that help is available, and this can alleviate their anxieties and fears and present some comfort. Efforts must be coordinated with the necessary authorities so that resources are not duplicated but are provided seamlessly for all affected.

The results have implications for the provision of psychological services for those affected, immediately after and continuing. These issues must be given priority as psychological trauma and distress can impact negatively on the lives of women and reduce their quality of life. It can hinder effective work and parenting and permeate other areas of their lives.

#### **8. Limitations**

Sourcing of participants was a challenge as the COVID-19 pandemic led to many lockdowns and protocols for living on the island. It prevented access to participants for intermittent periods. As such, it delayed the interviews with participants for lengths of time. Some participants made appointments but due to the precarious COVID-19 conditions could not keep the appointments. Ten participants were to be interviewed; however, only seven were able to take part in the research. At one time, one research assistant contracted COVID and her interviews had to be delayed by two to three weeks because of existing protocols.

The research assistants used were culturally aligned to the participants as both are citizens of the country, presently reside there and are aware of the distances and where the participants lived. The researcher was also aware of the terrain and the people as she was part of the psychosocial team that travelled to the country after the devastation caused by Tropical Storm Erika in 2015.
