Transition from the Modernisation of Information Technologies to the Digitalisation of Social Services and Social Work in Latvia: Perspective Chapter

This chapter presents the path to digitalisation of social services and social work in the context of the digital transformation processes in Latvia from learning about computers and acquiring basic skills to creating a unified welfare policy information system and digital services. The introduction of information technology (IT) in the organisation of social work and services has created new opportunities for service delivery and the development of means of communication. This has made it possible to overcome territorial distances and reduce inequalities in access to services in rural areas. The availability of IT and relevant skills is important for professionals and lay people alike. The availability and quality of social services depend on digital competence. However, the arrival of digitalisation in the field of social work is met with mixed reactions. The changing forms of work among social workers raise concerns about the future of the profession, that the dominance of technology could overwhelm human relationships and alienate them from the values of social work. But realistic optimists in Latvia believe that social work is one of the few professions that will survive in the long term and that automatisation, robotisation and modernisation will not completely replace it.