Social work
Editorial
Stabroek News
February 15, 2003
Just over a week ago an appalling story appeared in the Sunday Stabroek, headlined 'A malnourished child in a malfunctioning system'. It introduced readers to a five-year-old, who was in the throes of severe malnutrition. Then it told of efforts made to have the child access medical attention and welfare assistance which, had the correct thing been done, would have brought the story to its natural end. Instead, the writer, one of the child's self-appointed guardians on that day, was snarled in red tape after the hospital and its social work department insisted that nothing could be done for the child unless procedure was followed. The Ministry of Human Services and Social Security was involved, but even its employee could not surmount the brick wall erected. Eventually, some hours later, the child was admitted to the Georgetown Public Hospital.
An outpouring of public empathy and support followed as well as the disturbing news that the child's circumstances had been reported to the Ministry of Human Services some time before, but nothing had been done. It was reported that the social workers' caseloads were heavy and therefore new cases had to wait. This is nothing new. During 2001, a letter writer to this newspaper had written to complain about an abysmal case of sexual abuse of two toddlers in an East Bank Demerara village. The letter was never published, but this newspaper passed the information on to the Ministry of Human Services. At first, the report, given over the telephone was greeted with scepticism. However, after the letter writer's name, address and telephone number were revealed, along with the news that the person was willing to take the social worker to the premises where the acts were being committed, a promise was made that the matter would be investigated. Three months later, when a check was made with the ministry nothing had been done. The reason? There just weren't enough social workers to handle all the cases.
Again last year, when the Ministry of Human Services undertook to change the system by which old age pensions were paid numerous problems developed and the aged and infirm reported having to wait for long hours, even days to receive their pension voucher books. Since this too was chalked up to staffing problems, perhaps it is time for the subject minister to make a case for a larger building and more trained staff. A department that deals with welfare just cannot be run in a half-hearted manner.
At the same time, the attitude of the staff also needs to be critically assessed. Social workers who do not do social work should be moved to other areas where they can be of use. This also applies to the social work department of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC). Replacements can be found from among the huge numbers of people who graduate from the University of Guyana every year with a Diploma or a Degree in Social Work. But there must also be thorough screening, since social work does not revolve around pen-pushing or telephone calls.
The International Federation of Social Workers (IFSW) says on its website that "social work in its various forms addresses the multiple, complex transactions between people and their environments. Its mission is to enable all people to develop their full potential, enrich their lives, and prevent dysfunction. Professional social work is focused on problem solving and change. As such, social workers are change agents in society and in the lives of the individuals, families and communities they serve. Social work is an interrelated system of values, theory and practice.
"The social work profession promotes social change, problem solving in human relationships and the empowerment and liberation of people to enhance well-being... Principles of human rights and social justice are fundamental to social work."
When these statements are carefully considered, it becomes obvious that not only those at the GPHC not practising social work, but they seem to have lost the ability to be kind. Clearly, in this instance, more social work was accomplished by the off-duty policeman who found the child and the reporter who took up his case. The Stabroek News report quoted the hospital's CEO who was subsequently contacted as saying that 'if the child needed medical attention the social workers should have seen that he was treated'. He said normally the children come through the Ministry of Human Services but he said it did not mean that a public-spirited citizen could not take a sick child off the road to the hospital for medical attention. But is anything being done to ensure that this does not happen again?
The Guyana Association of Professional Social Workers should move to publicly denounce practitioners who, through their actions, devalue the profession's humanitarian and democratic ideals and its respect for the equality, worth and dignity of all people. And if these persons are members of the association, they ought to be penalised by their peers.
The IFSW says that human rights and social justice serve as the motivation and justification for social work action and in solidarity with those who are disadvantaged, the profession strives to alleviate poverty and to liberate vulnerable and oppressed people in order to promote social inclusion. In practice therefore, social work should address the barriers, inequities and injustices that exist in society, respond to crises and emergencies as well as everyday personal and social problems. Social work is dynamic and evolving and could be a fascinating and mentally rewarding profession. Local practitioners should take a closer look at what they do and how they do it.
