The challenges and social work requirements of women and men with children in child care during the COVID-19 pandemic process

This study aims to identify the problems faced by women and men with children during the COVID-19 pandemic in terms of child care and the social work needs they require to cope with these problems, a total of 30 parents, 19 of whom were women and 11 of whom were men, participated in this study. In this study, which was carried out within the scope of the qualitative research method, in-depth interviews were conducted with the participants. The participants were asked 9 questions that were included in the semi-structured interview form developed by the researcher. As the first step in the analysis, a descriptive analysis was carried out and the concepts emphasized by the participants were examined. In the second stage, the thematic structure of the study was revealed. In the data analysis, tthe interview transcripts were grouped and ten main themes were created for the study: "The effect of job status", "the effects of economic difficulties on child care", "the effect of quarantine/isolation", "management of the pandemic process", "the effects of interruption to education", "the emotional and psychological effects of contracting the virus", " preparation for the post-pandemic period", "the impact of the pandemic on family communication and relationships", "the need for support" and "the social policy needs of parents for child care". The data obtained from the interviews was analyzed using the MAXQDA 2020 package program, and various findings were reached. According to the findings, based on the statements of the individuals with children who participated in the interviews; it was found that economic problems increased during the pandemic, they felt inadequate in managing the pandemic process, they needed support for themselves and their children, psychological problems increased and there were more problems within the family. Many services have been offered to families by public institutions and organizations in Turkey during the pandemic. Despite the implementation of activities and programs, it has been determined that there are open situations that need to be developed and strengthened for the difficulties and different needs encountered, and that child-rearing families require more support in these areas. In this study, the difficulties experienced by parents with children during the pandemic have been identified, and social work needs for addressing them have been included. Keywords: Pandemic, Parent, Social work, Family communication.