Nova Scotia lacks accurate caseload count for burdened social workers: official

HALIFAX — Nova Scotia's Department of Community Services doesn't have a clear picture of how many active cases of at-risk children and families its social workers are handling, a legislative committee was told Wednesday.

Shelley Bent James, an executive director at the department, told the Public Accounts Committee that social workers handle an average of 22.75 cases, but added that figure is inaccurate because it includes older cases for which paperwork has not yet been completed be.

“The number is an indication of current cases and cases in which investigations have been completed. However, due to the administrative burden that social workers face, they have not been able to access and close these files,” said Bent James.

She said the department is trying to reduce social workers' administrative duties to give them more direct time with children, youth and families.

“We know that case numbers have increased and that cases have become more complex, and we know we need to do more and do better,” Bent James said.

She said the department is running a pilot program that calls for the use of support staff, called paraprofessionals, who can assist social workers with paperwork and record keeping.

Bent James also said the department currently employs about 450 social workers and is developing a recruitment and retention plan to increase that number. To reach the current number, about 25 new jobs have been created in recent years, she said, adding: “We can always use more.”

Following the meeting, Bent James told reporters that the department is beginning to introduce technological tools to help social workers complete paperwork. She said the Child Welfare League of America's standard is an average of 16 to 20 cases per caseworker, although that standard is now considered outdated due to the increasing complexity of cases.

“We are above this and working hard to close these files,” she said.

Alec Stratford, registrar at the Nova Scotia College of Social Workers, watched the committee meeting from the sidelines after the NDP unsuccessfully tried to put him on the witness list. Stratford said he has been in his job for eight years and has always been surprised by the department's inability to keep track of the number of cases it handles.

“I don’t understand why we don’t follow up,” he said. “The fact that we don’t have accurate metrics is problematic in terms of how we plan and determine what resources we deploy.”

In a report released last week, provincial auditor Kim Adair said the department lacked adequate oversight of the province's youth shelter and temporary care network.

What she cited as most concerning was the lack of regular contact between children and social workers, which affected staff's ability to develop appropriate care plans.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 15, 2024.

Keith Doucette, The Canadian Press