Child Welfare’s one way street policy

My situation highlights the opportunity to raise awareness about the daily challenges faced by social workers, who are often the forgotten responders. I am deeply committed to improving both the working conditions for social workers and the quality of services they provide. As a former supervisor and frontline worker in child welfare, I experienced firsthand the devastating impact of unmanageable caseloads, sometimes three times the standard limit of 21 cases, and the consequences that follow. I also witnessed untrained social workers handling high caseloads without the mandatory CORE training, which is only offered a few times a year, leaving gaps in knowledge and service delivery. Training slots fill up quickly, and missing a session can mean waiting years for an opportunity to receive proper education. It is widely accepted in child welfare to assign cases to workers who haven’t received the necessary core training, which is comparable to letting an unqualified mechanic, lawyer, or doctor perform their duties.  Do you want an untrained mechanic working on your vehicle?  One can only imagine the devastation this could cause.  Or a lawyer representing you that has not completed their education or articling?

The child welfare policy manual mandates that children with active cases should be seen every 30 days, yet this is rarely met due to overwhelming caseloads. While parents are held accountable by the Department’s policies, the system itself fails to meet its own standards, leaving children to suffer the consequences. Until recently, the government only reimbursed psychologists $85 per hour for treating children in care, which is far below the actual cost, forcing many providers to absorb the difference or avoid working with these children altogether. This flawed system places undue burden on social workers and results in inadequate care for families already struggling with trauma. The imbalance in accountability is clear—parents are required to ensure their children’s well-being, but the organizations tasked with protecting them are not held to the same standard.

Policies are meaningless if they aren’t backed by real action and accountability. The child welfare system is failing, and it’s time we have open, honest conversations, followed by responsible actions to improve both the working conditions of social workers and the services provided to vulnerable families.

Managing caseloads meaningfully should be the only focus of our government, as it would resolve almost all issues in the child welfare system.  Caseloads only, and do it effectively.