ABSTRACT
In this chapter, the authors examine ethical issues that may arise for social workers. They describe the factors that shape disaster practice including the randomness of the events and the need for a quick response; the organisational structures through which social workers come to disaster practice; the various roles social workers adopt before, disaster management, disaster policy development and disaster research. The authors provide the various aspects of disasters that are critical for workers to be aware of in this challenging field of practice. They discuss social work disaster theory and urge the profession to respond effectively to this emerging field of practice. The focus of practice is to address the vulnerability of people and place, to understand the nuances of community in order to assess those on the margins, to foster inclusiveness and to ensure that resources are distributed fairly and equitably.
