Reports of social worker shortages are nothing new for NAPE President Jerry Earle.

Last winter the union conducted a survey of social workers to get a better idea of some of the challenges they face on a regular basis.

Social workers are normally limited to about 20 case files, but Earle says for a period of time, things were so bad in the Roddickton area that a single social worker was handling up to 167 case files with seven staffing vacancies.

He’s aware of similar scenarios playing out in St. Anthony, Gander, and Labrador due to shortages.

Earle says hiring is underway and things are improving, but the case file ratios are still too high.

He says even with 20 case files, the work can be all-consuming when you factor in travel, spending time with clients, and the necessary paperwork involved. Double, triple, or quadruple that, and you can imagine how difficult that can be says Earle.