Comments on: Social worker burnout: I have kept quiet long enough

By: Silentnomore

Silentnomore — Tue, 05 Feb 2019 18:05:30 +0000

In reply to Stuart Stirling. I'm so sorry to hear this

By: francesmartin

francesmartin — Mon, 05 Feb 2018 18:24:14 +0000

My personal experiences with community services, both child protection and social assistance programs and senior housing depts., have been disappointing…almost traumatic in nature.
I am among the many consumers who have no faith or trust with the dept of community services.
Regretably, it is only to the social workers that we get to voice our concerns and perceive a lack of empathy, compassion, caring, etc…..even a coldness of heart.It is even difficult that the social worker is being honest, truthful.
Sorry, but is time for truthful dialogue….not only with the employer and employee, but also we, the consum2er.
We should be invited to share our horror stories of abuse within the community service depts….another voice that hopefully can stimulate change.

By: Stuart Stirling

Stuart Stirling — Thu, 18 Jan 2018 04:06:32 +0000

If you really want to experience burnout try being a parent fighting for your children, for years dealing with lawyers who only only want the process to run on. Most of the children removed from biological parents are done so for the most erroneous reasons. Your childrens rights are trampled your rights as a parent are trampled. Your finances exhausted your home eventually lost to foreclosure all the nights you cry yourself to sleep knowing your children are doing the same and being abused by foster parents for doing so.

By: Trish

Trish — Thu, 18 Jan 2018 02:57:07 +0000

In reply to Georgette Burke.

Thank you Georgette. That means a lot. I have worried a little about backlash of speaking up. I am relieved to know there are people I can lean on for support should the time come. Telling this story was worth the risk. It is time for change. If for no one else, then for the families, chikdren, parents, communities that will be better served by a healthy and whole social worker.
By the way, I also carried out most my work in Long Term Protection.
Trish

By: Trish

Trish — Thu, 18 Jan 2018 02:52:00 +0000

In reply to Geraldine Fitzpatrick. Geraldine, I know exactly that feeling. Fortunately I have been to those depths of despair before and knew I could pull myself out. Sadly I had always felt I wouldn’t be happy working within the system and had avoided it. But a day arrived that I felt I had so much I could bring to the role that it would be worthwhile. I wanted to make a difference. I just wasn’t willing to lose myself in it. Trish

By: Trish

Trish — Thu, 18 Jan 2018 02:46:04 +0000

In reply to Marjorie Shaw. Thanks Marjorie. I can’t imagine that living the experiences I have described wouldn’t change their perspective a little, but maybe I give some too much credit. Trish

By: Trish

Trish — Thu, 18 Jan 2018 02:39:25 +0000

In reply to Debby.

The frustration of not having enough resources to offer families in support of their situations is the hardest part of the job. I think almost every social worker would tell you that.
It shouldn’t surprise me that the vocation that needs the most empathy from its employers and partners is the one that has the least.
Yet it does. How can we be good at helping those in our communities who need it most, if we can’t even do it for our “own”?
Trish

By: Trish

Trish — Thu, 18 Jan 2018 02:33:47 +0000

In reply to Emilie smith. Unfortunately our world seems to be getting worse at collaboration, when we need to be getting far better. Trish

By: Trish

Trish — Thu, 18 Jan 2018 02:29:56 +0000

In reply to cindy biggs.

I absolutely agree with you Cindy. Income Assistance levels are far too low for anyone to survive, let alone thrive.
That’s a whole other conversation that I have both personal and professional experience and interests in.
Thank you for your courage to speak up.
Trish

By: Georgette Burke

Georgette Burke — Tue, 16 Jan 2018 02:00:10 +0000

I recently retired from my vocation as a social worker.
For the better part of thirty years, I did serve in the arena of child welfare services, primarily in the investigations of physical and sexual abuse, some in urban but primarily working in rural areas.
I did work with high risk adolescents, and their families.
I did also work in the field of therapeutic foster care.
In retrospect, I think that my most tedious and difficult work was as a “long term protection worker”, meaning that I had a caseload of high risk families whom I was assigned to support and monitor for safety of the children therin.
I could write a book , as they say I should, but I do not have the energy, the emotional stamina, nor could I ever risk to abandon the respect of my former clients. Perhaps, someday, I will find a way to tell the story with compassion from all sides.

Meanwhile, I am grateful to hear the voice of this lady, Trish McCourt, and I want her to know that I attest to her every word. I know her truth. I applaud her courage. And I will be there for her if she ever needs me.