The Digital Turn in Social Work: Navigating Relationships, Boundaries, and Ethics

During the COVID-19 pandemic, social workers in Lombardy, Italy, were confronted with an abrupt\r\nshift to digitally mediated practices that reshaped the core of the helping relationship. This qualitative study draws on 29 interviews and two focus groups conducted between 2021 and 2022 to\r\nexplore how professionals experienced and responded to this transformation.\r\nThe findings reveal both relational and ethical tensions, linked to distance, loss of non-verbal cues,\r\nand blurred boundaries, and a range of adaptive strategies aimed at maintaining empathy and\r\ntrust. Concepts such as social presence and digital intimacy provide a lens to interpret these micropractices of negotiation. While rooted in a specific historical context, the reflections emerging from\r\nthe study remain highly relevant in the current phase of hybrid practice, as social services continue\r\nto grapple with the long-term integration of digital tools.\r\nThe study argues that digitalization in social work is neither inherently empowering nor detrimental,\r\nbut context-dependent, and must be critically accompanied by institutional guidance, training,\r\nand ethical reflection.