Informal Use of Information and Communication Technology: Adjunct to Traditional Face-to-Face Social Work Practice

Information and communication technologies (ICTs) (including mobile devices) are characterized by the integration of technology into communication, and have revolutionized how individuals interact. ICTs have led to transformative changes in social work and other disciplines including education and psychology. Despite becoming increasingly popular in traditional face-to-face social work practice, research is lacking on informal ICT use by practitioners with clients, which typically occurs between sessions, but also within, as an unplanned (and often unsanctioned) adjunct to traditional face-to-face practice (Informal Intersession ICTs). As social work practitioners grapple with the rapid expansion of ICTs, there is a need to address the ethical, legal, systemic and professional benefits and challenges that inevitably arise. Such knowledge is necessary to inform practice and policy. Thus, the purpose of this practice update is to elucidate a framework for theoretical understanding of informal use of ICTs in social work, and draw attention to how ICTs have expanded and altered existing practice.