Nova Scotia social workers are burned out: report [Video]

HALIFAX –

A new report paints a bleak picture of the working conditions for social workers in Nova Scotia’s child welfare system, saying they are feeling devalued and burned out.

The report, prepared by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, exposes a litany of complaints from social workers who say they are struggling with excessive caseloads, chronic understaffing, low wages and insufficient training.

“Our interviews reveal an essential workforce pushed to the brink,” says the report released Wednesday. “Those we interviewed spoke of an acute crisis of mental health amongst child protection workers and a near-total lack of support available to them.”

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Social workers told researchers that the lack of support from the provincial Community Services Department has left them in a state of distress because they are unable to provide compassionate, meaningful support for their vulnerable clients.

“Given caseload overload, child protection workers simply lack …