Government is not recruiting unqualified social workers, but rather employing social welfare professionals who are there to assist, Family Minister Michael Falzon said.

Speaking to The Malta Independent on Sunday, Falzon addressed questions regarding the shortage of social workers in the country.

Last week, The Malta Independent on Sunday reported that there is a lack of social workers, and that state agencies for social work are resorting to quick fixes to solve the problem, bringing in unqualified social workers.

PN MP Graziella Attard Previ had highlighted several issues in the sector, first mentioned in Parliament, where she appealed for government to invest more in the sector.

When contacted, Attard Previ had also said that apart from a lack of human resources, existing social workers are leaving the sector, seeking jobs with more prestige, higher pay, and better working conditions.

The types of cases the social worker faces are many and difficult, which often leads to burnout. The insufficient pay is one of the major deterrents of the sector, Attard Previ had said.

In addition, what is the use of reading for a Master’s in social work, when students graduating from any humanities, are being allowed to do social work.

Comments reacting to what was reported also spoke about anomalies in wages between FSWS and Agenzija Sapport, compared to the public sector, where social workers receive less.

It was also said that the results from quick fixes by these agencies can be devastating, equally as devastating as quick fixes in the construction industry. However, this attracts less attention in social care.

One comment also said that when the management running these services are political appointees with little or no knowledge of the sector, nobody would stay in a profession which protects poorly qualified management.

The government had confirmed in Parliament that there is indeed a need for social workers due to the shortage but continued to say that working conditions within the Foundation for Social Welfare Services (FSWS) are good, yet a report made by CEO of the FSWS Alfred Grixti showed that the foundation is experiencing shortages as well.

Falzon told this newsroom that there is indeed a need for more workers in the social sector, not just in Malta, but it is a reality faced by each society.

“There is an issue, yes, persons working in this sector are not coping with the social needs of today,” Falzon said.

He denied, however, that the government is bringing in social workers who are less qualified.

“First of all, I must say that each social worker who graduates from University has a guaranteed job at the FSWS, where there is an open recruitment for social workers. Obviously, you must have the qualifications,” Falzon said.

He added that in the case of persons not having the qualifications for this role, government would not set them aside, but is giving the role of ‘social welfare professional’ to persons who have qualifications in humanities. These workers are to assist in the social work.

“The work of the social worker remains that of the social worker,” he said.

Asked if the government is planning to recruit social workers from abroad, as it has done in other professions, such as nurses, Falzon said that this is very difficult.

“Each reality of a society is different from one country to another, and I don’t see how we can use a social worker of another country in Malta, and vice versa. This would take time,” Falzon said.

He said that government is looking at means on how to encourage more people to the profession.

Attard Previ had pointed out that the pay for a senior social worker is that of €1,200 for 30 hours. She had said that people do not see the pay, coupled with stressful conditions, low professional status as well as bureaucratic agencies, as “worth it”.

On inadequate pay, Falzon said that the pay for social workers is “not bad”. He said that there is an added income to their work when compared to grades of other professions.

“On the question of working conditions, yes, there could be improvement, and we can look at them,” Falzon said.