Threats and violence are increasing against New Brunswick social workers, their union says. A professor of social work recommends better access to higher education as a way to address problems with recruitment, retention and burnout.
Union says social media and shortage of social workers have made challenging conditions worse
Hope Edmond · CBC News
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Threats and violence are increasing against New Brunswick social workers, who are already suffering the effects of a workforce shortage, their union says.
Shawna Morton, president of CUPE 1418, said a social worker was assaulted in July while conducting a home visit.
The social worker was physically injured and suffered a concussion, Morton said. She went to an emergency room but left after waiting for six hours without being seen.
RCMP said they responded to an assault complaint on King Street in Rexton, a rural community north of Moncton, the morning of July 14. A man was arrested and is to appear in court Sept. 4, police said in a statement.
They would not provide more details, citing their investigation.
WATCH | ‘It’s happening more and more,’ union president says: Social workers in N.B. are experiencing more threats, violence, union says August 21| Duration 2:34
Incidents like this are “getting more and more regular," Morton said.
“I have another worker who received many threats and as a result of those threats, is out on leave as well.”
The “element of assault and threat” has always been a part of the job, but social media and a shortage of social workers are making it worse.
“One of my workers talks about receiving sexually graphic text messages from a client and then also threats of ending her life as well, and threatening her family, threatening her pet.”
'Intersecting social issues,' prof says
Jenni Cammaert, an associate professor of social work at St. Thomas University, says the "complex environments" social workers work in can lead to recruitment and retention problems.
“There’s a lot of trauma and poverty and housing insecurity," Cammaert said. "Substance misuse and family violence, mental health concerns and other intersecting social issues — so we’re working with very complex social conditions.”
Trying to work in that environment with a shortage of social workers and high workloads leads to a greater risk of burnout.
Morton said she thinks “families are more and more under stress.”
She pointed to factors such as financial pressure, poor mental health and substance use, which she said are making people’s behaviour more “unpredictable.”
While Morton would like to see social workers in the field working in pairs, the high need and the shortage of workers mean this is usually not possible.
Workforce shortage
In July, 80 social work positions were vacant in the province, Morton said, but she doesn’t know whether filling those jobs would be enough to keep up with the demand for service.
Earlier this month, CBC News reported that the union was calling for the province to conduct a workforce survey to determine how many social workers are needed.
Cammaert said 400 social work positions are projected to be vacant over the next decade, and New Brunswick needs more students to enter the field.
She said the key to addressing recruitment and retention is to make higher levels of training and education more accessible.
Cammaert said fewer than a quarter of social workers in New Brunswick have master's degrees, something she wants to see increase. The advanced skills would help social workers better address complex client needs.
These advanced skills can include being trauma informed, understanding policy and having a critical analysis of social conditions, she said.
She said another way to address the shortage would be to focus on recruiting people from rural, underserved areas who plan to stay and work in those communities.
“They're caring for the work and the populations in which they work," she said. "It's just almost in an impossible situation.”
In a statement, the New Brunswick Association of Social Workers said the July 14 assault "reinforces the need to maintain adequate staffing levels."
In addition to social workers, the association also recommends that more social work technicians be employed across the province to accompany social workers on home visits. This would provide a greater level of safety, the statement said.
"Frontline social workers have long served as first responders," the association said. "It is time they are recognized as such and provided with the support they need to be safe on the job."
CBC News put in a request late Thursday afternoon for comment from the Department of Social Development.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Hope Edmond is a reporter based in Moncton.
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