‘There are children left in vulnerable situations’: NAPE
High number of social work vacancies a ‘crisis’: NDP
Of the 369 social worker positions in the Department of Children, Seniors and Social Development (CSSD), 105 are vacant, said Minister Paul Pike.
NDP Leader Jim Dinn called it a crisis.
The number of vacancies was discussed in the legislature Thursday morning during budget estimate discussions for the department.
Dinn said the number of vacancies last summer was 99. He said the increased number, and the 28.5 per cent vacancy rate, is significant.
“Yes,” Pike said.
WORKERS’ MENTAL HEALTH AFFECTED
“Having such high vacancies means that there are children left in vulnerable situations,” Jerry Earle, president of Newfoundland and Labrador Association of Public and Private Employees (NAPE), said in an interview with The Telegram Thursday afternoon.
Earle said social workers — who are represented by NAPE — know they cannot continue with the levels that they have and still provide the necessary service, and keep people safe.
When they go home at the end of the day, they think about the files left on their desks that they couldn’t get to, he said.
“And they’re trying to figure out: is there somebody in one of those files that’s going to be in harm’s way because they couldn’t get to it?
“Then there’s social workers there that should be only handling, on average, maybe 20 files because some of these files are very complex. I’ve heard from social workers on the Northern Peninsula where they’ve got triple or quadruple the file load. So, it’s having an impact on the social workers, even their mental health — they’re really stressed over what is going to happen to one of my clients if I’m not there for them,” Earle said.
BURNOUT ‘VERY REAL’
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Paul Dinn, Progressive Conservative critic for children and youth services, said the number of vacancies is trending in the wrong direction.
“I can’t imagine some of the situations (social workers) have to deal with, and some have to take home with them. So, everything and anything that can be done to ensure every vacancy is filled should be done,” he said.
Jim Dinn said that considering the nature of the work they do, having 105 socialworkers vacancies is a significant gap, and puts additional pressure on the remaining social workers.
“You’re looking at more burnout,” Jim Dinn said.
Pike agreed that burnout is “very real.”
“Our department is very much concerned about that,” Pike said.
Due to the nature of the difficult work, a lot of social workers move on, he said.
He said his department is focused on recruitment and retention, and has implemented many initiatives to try to attract social workers, including a signing bonus and flexible work hours.
Earle said NAPE has had positive discussions with people in the department, and he believes they are really trying to address the issue.