By Sharmeen Ziauddin and Ruth Hardy-Mullings
Loading ...Social workers across the UK have been deeply affected by the Israel-Gaza war, which began in October 2023.
Community Care spoke to three social workers to understand how the conflict has affected them, how they are supporting service users and what more organisations can do to support their staff. We also interviewed a Palestinian social worker working in the West Bank, who told us about the direct impact of the conflict on him and the children he works with.
The toll of the Israel-Gaza war
On 7 October 2023, attacks led by Hamas in Israel caused the deaths of about 1,200 people, with a further 253 taken hostage. In response, Israel launched a war in Gaza, in which over 34,000 people have been killed so far, many of them women and children.
Approximately 1.9 million people – 85% of Gazans – have been forced to flee their homes, while the entire population of the Gaza Strip is facing high levels of acute food insecurity, with famine predicted, due to the war. Infectious diseases are spreading in Gaza but much of its healthcare system is no longer functioning due to attacks by Israeli forces.
Widespread calls from across the world for a ceasefire – from the United Nations Security Council, over 150 states, charities and social work organisations – have so far fallen on deaf ears, and Israel is reportedly poised to enter Rafah, where over a million Palestinians are sheltering.
Meanwhile, in the UK, both antisemitism and Islamophobia have risen sharply since October 2023.
‘As Muslims, we are deeply grieving’
“As a Muslim, I feel we are stuck between a rock and a hard place. We are deeply grieving,” says Alshad (Ash) Dustagheer, children’s social worker and creator of New Generation Social Work, a productivity brand for social workers.
“I watch the news every night and am updated on my phone every day, so it’s niggling in the background on my mind all day. I was reading the news this morning and you just start your day thinking: how many more children are going to die today? It’s a tough time for the Muslim community and for the [social work] profession.”
Dustagheer works with children and foster carers who are personally affected by the conflict.
“I’m working with children who come from Iraq, Iran and Afghanistan and have lost family members. They’re directly affected by it, a lot of their family members are connected to Palestine. As part of my direct work with them, I’ve asked, ‘How do you feel about Palestine?’.
Having difficult conversations
“For me, it’s really key because it’s very difficult for practitioners to have that conversation with children and young people, but I’m raising it with my young people and they’re telling me their feelings around it. And again, they’re really traumatised by what’s happening, they’re confused, they don’t feel safe when they’re out in the community to talk about it.”
Nicole Valens is head of social work at the Association of Jewish Refugees (AJR), a charity which supports Holocaust refugees and survivors living in Great Britain.
“One of the main things that has happened since 7 October is the steep rise in antisemitism in this country and around the world,” she says. “A lot of our clients are scared to leave the house or worried about antisemitism, worried that people would find out that they’re Jewish.”
Many of the clients AJR works with have friends and family in Israel and are concerned for their safety. Tragically, one client has been directly impacted, as her grandchildren in Israel were killed in the 7 October attack.
Valens adds that there is ongoing concern for the people of Gaza and the suffering they are experiencing.
‘Believe service users’
Social workers at AJR are offering service users space to talk if they would like to, through one-on-one support as well as outreach events and social groups.
Valens says that it is vital to believe what service users are telling you, and validate their feelings. “If they say they feel scared in London, for example, believe them. Because some people might say, ‘Well, you know, it’s perfectly safe here. I don’t know what you’re talking about.’ But actually, it’s how someone feels.”
Yohai Hakak is a social work lecturer at Brunel University. He is part of the British Association of Social Workers (BASW) Diaspora special interest group, for practitioners originating from overseas, and is a Jewish Israeli.
He says: “Social workers should be aware that these events are very triggering for people here, definitely people who have relatives or come from these areas and also people who fled from other war-torn areas. Social workers should apply a trauma-informed perspective that I don’t know if we talk about enough in social work but it definitely needs to be talked about.
The importance of reflection
“The other thing is the need to be reflective as a practitioner and be aware of your positioning. Where are you coming from? Why are you seeing the things the way that you’re seeing? And how are you making sure you are separating your own views, which you’re entitled to hold, from how you work with the people you work with, with the focus on their needs?
“Just make sure one thing doesn’t bleed into the other and that you’re not imposing your values, your way of seeing the world on other people that you’re working with.”
Dustagheer works with several Muslim foster carers.
“When I go to their houses for supervision they have the news on, and they’re watching it. We start our supervision and it’s like they’re venting to me because they feel they can, and they feel safe to do that with me as a professional.” He feels this can create tension between his personal and professional boundaries.
“I’m finding myself saying, ‘Well actually I can’t delve too much into it but I understand your position on a personal level’.”
Valens manages a team of social workers, half of whom are Jewish and half who aren’t.
“So the impact is obviously different for different people. But the social workers are also impacted by the rise in antisemitism, all of the fears about friends and family in Israel, the impact just of ongoing, you know, six months of watching a war unfold in such a horrible, devastating way. Obviously, it impacts on people and the longer it goes on the more difficult it is for people.”
Promoting self-care
In October, Valens arranged reflection meetings for staff to come together, talk about how they were feeling and support each other. She also has an open-door policy, so any of her team can come to her and talk about how they are feeling and the difficulties they are going through.
Valens also says that self-care is important, particularly, encouraging social workers not to get fixated on the news.
“Every time you saw another news article, all of emotion, all of that stress and anxiety and distress would become overwhelming. So yes, keep up with it if you need to, but really try and take a break from the news and social media.”
Instead, she suggests practical tips, like donating to charity, so that people feel more empowered.
“It’s a very difficult situation. It’s incredibly complex and multi-layered and we all have to be kind to ourselves and to each other to get through it.”
The need for a safe space to talk about the conflict
Dustagheer would like to see social work leaders being more vocal about the conflict, as well as offering staff a safe space to talk about how they have been affected.
“There isn’t an invitation or a safe space for practitioners to talk about how they’re feeling. There isn’t. For me it’s a lack of leadership, because I think the leadership in the social work profession should be saying, ‘Well actually, let’s talk about this’. That alone is an invitation – it’s a more empathetic and compassionate response.”
He adds: “What I would like to see is more convincing statements [from leaders] in social work, with a balanced view. Statements that show and recognise that this is ongoing, and we are here listening to those who are affected by it.”
Interview with a Palestinian social worker
National advisor for child safeguarding and care in Hebron, Riad Arar, tells us how his life and work has changed since the current war in Gaza began.
(Hebron is a large city, about 30 miles south of Jerusalem, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. It is about 40 miles from Gaza).
Listen with the transcript.
BASW and the Social Workers Union’s position
The latest statement from BASW and the Social Workers Union (SWU) on the conflict was released on 20 February.
In it, they state: “This war must not be allowed to continue. We continue to call on the UK and international governments and all political parties to press for an immediate, permanent ceasefire. This means an end to Israeli military action in Gaza and for Hamas and Hezbollah to stop sending rockets into Israel and to move out of civilian areas. We call for the immediate release of all Israeli hostages held by Hamas and an end to Israel’s siege that is restricting delivery of humanitarian and medical aid to Gaza.”
Hakak also thinks that safe spaces for discussions among staff about the conflict would be useful and should happen.
“These spaces should be moderated or guided by someone capable, so that indeed these are safe spaces. So I would encourage that.”
Hakak has talked about the war with his students.
“Students are clearly interested. It’s a good opportunity to learn, think and educate ourselves and our students. We do try and do that despite the sensitivities and the complexities.”
Social workers ‘should be free to express their views’
He also stresses the importance of free speech within the profession, combined with understanding of others’ perspectives.
“I do think that social workers should be able to express their opinions, including their political opinions, freely […] We stress the importance of empathy, of understanding the other side’s point of view and of finding peaceful resolutions.
“I want to think that as professionals, these are the things we teach our students and encourage in the people we work with.”
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Thank you for raising this, and not ignoring the emotions and feelings coming from the war.
Personally, I do think it is important that we are open about of opinions and feelings. I do not think it is healthy to skirt around the issues, and be indifferent, if indeed you hold strong emotions. I think some social workers can feel pressured into self censorship and not expressing their views, worried that they might come over as controversial, not matching the narrative of the wider establishment.
Thank you for discussing this. I believe there is great suffering and loss for both Israelis and Gaza’s citizens
As well as anti semitism at its highest impacts on Jewish people across the world.
However the Hamas movement initiated this attack on young women and men who were simply at a music festival and then massacred children women and men at nearby kibbutz and kidnapped women children men, many of whom are still not released.
I think it is important to acknowledge and note the facts of the loss and deaths of innocents on both sides.
What is Hamas offering to the Gazan’s right now to support them?
From a proud social worker whose parents were both refugees in the UK.
“Gaza’s citizens” are Palestinians, for us to have respectful conversations we need to start from acknowledging who people are. October was a Hamas atrocity but history does not start then. There are countless Palestinians being brutalised now, not just in the West Bank and soon in Rafah but also in Israeli jails held there without trial. Being relentlessly bombed and rounded up and shot at and crushed and killed aren’t exactly conditions for “offering support” whether by Hamas or NGOs who are themselves being brutalised and killed. I too am a proud social worker. I am also a refugee from Kurdistan. Sadly my parents died from Turkish bombs so never got the chance to seek refuge in the UK. I have empathy for all brutalised people. But where does someone like me who has been branded and anti-semite even when I condemn Hamas and believe Israeli hostages should be returned home get to be part of a respectful conversation? These are the discussions we need to have too.
I feel so distressed by this situation and everyday gravely upset and powerless looking at images of adults, children, older people being killed. The thousands of children who have been killed and thousands more I see traumatised, lost, on their own.
As a social worker I feel immense anger with the injustice, oppression, dehumanisation and discrimination being inflicted on a group of people especially given the high population of children involved.
I think I have been surprised there has been a lack of continued conversation on what is happening I would suggest there was much more conversation with the Ukraine conflict. That said I am grateful that Community Care has written this article. More is needed to be able to shift and influence people in power to better actions to bring peace.
This is going to have significant impact on the children of the area for years to come, deep trauma and absence of parenting, education, home, safety, health.
I do feel worried speaking out and welcome the opportunity as there is so much discourse within social media, anger and polar opposite views in seems trenches have been dug and have to be in one or the other.
There is a human element all humans have intrinsic value this is the essence of social work.
What doesn’t help the situation is people wanting to label you antisemitic for highlighting Israel’s ongoing atrocities in Gaza.
Social work establishment does not tolerate dissent from what it prescribes social workers should say and do. We were sent a global email telling us that discussing the “war” would be in breach of conduct standards and wearing “symbols” was not allowed. When a colleague in response used a peace symbol mug she was told to remove and stop using it with a veiled threat of a possible disciplinary. In a Labour LA. That’s the environment in which we work.
If Sami said what he wrote in my London LA they would be slapped with a gross misconduct charge, disciplined and possibly threatened with dismissal. It’s commendable that CC yet again highlights issues our managers and sector leaders shut us up on. On a side note but not necessarily unrelated, I see the authoritarian law breakers at Westminster City Council and Social Work England refuse to apologise to Rachel Meade even after the hefty exemplary damages they’ve been ordered to pay. No accountability when public money is being squandered I suppose.
The world is constantly exposed to brutality from leaders who never look at the consequences of their actions only because it does not affect them. It’s frustrating to watch innocent civilians on both sides who only want to live their daily lives without conflict die because of their leaders hatred for one another caused by historical events and wars which began centuries ago. Really, what is it all about. Social Workers who are from Muslim and of Jewish faiths must be exhausted mentally and spiritually about current events on the world stage when in the UK they already suffer discrimination, racism and prejudice. I believe that Service Directors should have something or at least a plan in place for those who’s origins are not from the UK to enable them to feel safe and secure and not feel unsettled in their workplace to enable them to manage their emotional health while at work. We/they do not need to feel the pressures of work life and listen to families who’s lives are mainly caused by their own life choices and circumstances when families in the Middle East are dying for no cause of their own. I’m not referring to families who are significantly distressed through no fault of their own or children who are significantly at risk, but those families who constantly make poor life choices when they have had plenty of support already from agencies. Also, Pauline, yes…..Social Work England refuse to apologise to Rachel Meade will never happen. They are the most despicable, authoritarian organisation I’ve ever known. They will not be around in a few years. Sadly, the following body might be worse if that’s possible.
Susie and Sami are perfect examples of how similar as well as how polarised the arguments on what’s being endured by Palestinians and the hostage families are shoehorned in social work. Actually it really doesn’t matter how nuanced, passionate and conciliatory positions might be because the accepted narrative is set. Namely anything acknowledging the suffering of Palestinians is shut down with “what about Hamas” invective and worse. When open discussion is shut down we end up in our of office arguments reduce some of us to being a terrorist supporting anti-semites. Social workers are as toxic in their respective positions as society on this. Ukraine gave us the same arguments with anyone daring to point out another view to the “we stand with” expectations branded as Putin dupes. This played out endlessly through management emails in our authority. The reality is the relationships that frayed with the incessant push to only validate one narrative have now been fractured by the shutting down of debate on the suffering of Palestinians. I fear that having normalised accusations of Anti-Semitism against even the mildest deviation from a supposed linear choice of pro or anti Hamas beliefs, there will never be a safe and respectful space in social work to discuss such issues. I would be proud to call Susie and Sami colleagues but I suspect in the real world I would be bullied into having to take a ‘side’. This is a “with us or not” moment apparently. Pity is no one is really allowed to articulate why we might not see it that way.