A qualitative study on the field experiences of social workers working with Syrians under temporary protection status

The main purpose of this study is to reveal the field experiences of social workers working with individuals under temporary protection. The study focuses on the services provided to Syrian individuals under temporary protection, social work practices, roles and approaches used, from the perspective of social workers working in the field. In addition, issues such as the responsibilities undertaken by social workers in this field, the relations developed with other institutions and organizations, the duties and responsibilities of social workers in the activities carried out, and the facilities and difficulties they face were also included. In the study, qualitative research method was used to examine the field experiences of social workers in depth. A phenomenological approach was used to understand the social work practices of social workers working with Syrian individuals under temporary protection based on their field experiences and to examine their personal experiences. Twenty social workers with sufficient experience working with Syrians under temporary protection status participated in the study. Purposive sampling method was used to determine the participants of the study. A semi-structured interview form was prepared and applied through in-depth interview technique. The data were coded with MAXQDA 2022 and analyzed with thematic analysis. The opinions of the participants were evaluated with 9 main themes as "the need for curriculum update in social work education, unity in theory and practice, cooperation in social work practices, professional roles in social work practices for individuals under temporary protection status, application mechanisms in access to social services, professional practice in the field of migration, client groups under temporary protection status, being a competent SHU in the field of migration and professional satisfaction". In line with the opinions of the participants, it was concluded that the migration and migration-related courses taken in social work education and the knowledge of national and international legislation on temporary protection facilitate rapid and effective intervention while working in the field. It was suggested that with the practices to be carried out at the mezzo level, Syrian individuals under temporary protection status can be made aware of child labor, child marriage and gender-based issues and these problems can be prevented.