How a severe staffing shortage left a single social worker dealing with the complex workloads of 8

A staffing shortage on Newfoundland's Northern Peninsula earlier this year left just one social worker serving 167 clients, including numerous complex cases involving Indigenous children from Labrador,with seven other positions that were supposed to be filled remaining vacant.

That's according to a decision note from the Department of Children, Seniors and Social Development, obtained through an access-to-information request.

The briefing material says 167 files were assigned to the St. Anthony and Roddickton team. Only one permanent social worker was on staff, out of a full complement of eight positions.

"The social worker workforce in Roddickton and St. Anthony continues to be unstable leading those social workers who periodically fill positions to express concern with achieving caseload standards," reads the note.

Brian Warr, the minister responsible for CSSD, says they've since hired more social workers, who will start this month. That will leave just two vacancies in Roddickton, and will lower caseloads.

The ratio is supposed to be one social worker for every 20 files.

"We realize that we have a shortage of social workers in some parts of the province," Warr said in an interview.

"So the caseloads for St. Anthony when the second person is hired will go from one social worker to 18 files and in Roddickton we're still above where we want to be it's one to 32."

The minister can't say how long there was a single social worker in the area.

Roddickton has been in the news in recent years because of the number of Indigenous children from Labrador being sent there for foster care.

• Uprooted | Why so many of Labrador's children are in foster care so far away from home

According to the department, there are 60 Indigenous children from Labrador in foster care in the Roddickton area.

The heavily redacted briefing note obtained by CBC News was written in either February or March. The exact date was contained in more than three pages of information that was entirely blacked out.

Warr says the department hired rotational social workers and shuffled files to help.

According to the decision note, the department spent nearly $18,000 to have social work staff from other parts of the province travel to Roddickton to provide coverage. It does not give a time frame for that spending.

Situation gravely concerning, NAPE says

Although those warnings were issued earlier this year, the president of NAPE the Newfoundland and Labrador Association of Public and Private Employees says the situation hasn't changed much.

"When you have 167-odd case files, you cannot in any way, shape or form do justice for those people that are entrusted in your care," said Jerry Earle.

WATCH: Heather Gillis reports on a critical lack of social workers in northern Newfoundland:

Social worker shortage

4 years ago

Duration 2:27

Heather Gillis reports on a critical shortage of social workers in St. Anthony and Roddickton, where a single worker was left with the caseload of eight employees.

The NAPE leader calls the situation a "revolving door," adding some social workers who covered the area on rotation won't go back again.

"So that's telling us there's some significant issues in that particular area," he said.

And while he says Roddickton is an extreme case, he says there are also unfilled positions in Gander and Labrador.

Earle says NAPE warned the government about closing an office in Port Saunders on the Northern Peninsula about four years ago.

He says now resources are being drained from the Deer Lake office because social workers are driving for hours up to 230 kilometres one way to see clients.

Committee struck to address concerns

The department and NAPE announced a joint working group last week to address social worker safety, stress and workload.

Warr says the move is in response to a survey NAPE conducted in January, highlighting issues in the profession.

Former social workers in the department have also been speaking out, highlighting high caseloads, and a lack of support.

"We're going to address the concerns of the survey to identify basically what social workers feel slighted about," Warr said.

Social workers who want to share information with the committee can contact NAPE representatives.

Situation affecting mental health, NAPE says

Earle says he wants the committee to find solutions quickly, because the working conditions are adversely affecting social workers' mental health.

"We have social workers today from some of those areas that are unfortunately off with such mental illnesses as PTSD, workplace fatigue, underlying mental health issues, that are being brought on because of challenges of the work," he said.

"I really feel for all social workers there every day trying to do the best they can, but against insurmountable challenges."

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