From Distancing to Connecting: Residential Care Engagement with External Stakeholders Amidst COVID-19. An Italian Investigation

Drawing from an Italian study conducted during the COVID-19 lockdown, in this article we focus on the perspectives of Residential Care for Children (RCC) managers. Our aims are: to examine how they perceive RCC interactions with external stakeholders during lockdown – specifically within Bronfenbrenner’s ecological framework, encompassing meso- and exo-systems –, and to identify managers’ traits affecting communication with the abovementioned systems. The study involved 152 RCC managers on duty during the lockdown, utilizing the EWF Questionnaire – an anonymous, self-administered survey developed ad hoc for this investigation. The analysis employed descriptive statistics and Chi-square analysis. Results indicate that during the lockdown managers had good communication with RCC meso-system. In terms of professional relationships, RCC managers reported a closer affinity with social workers. Managers’ age, tenure in the role and field experience had an impact on the perception of communication within meso- and exo-systems. The number of units managed and their education degree did not show statistically significant impact. In the final sections, we discuss implications for RCC, interprofessional collaboration, and strategies for enhancing intersystem communication.