Editorial | Social workers handling Hong Kong fire cases should be well supported
The death of a social worker has focused attention on the heavy workload of Social Welfare Department staff in the aftermath of the disaster
The Social Welfare Department mobilised nearly all its workers, effectively around the clock through the sharing of mobile numbers. One social worker said a key issue had been the lack of communication on the initiatives they were expected to implement. All of this is on top of their existing caseload, which includes high-risk cases that call for regular check-ins.
The reality is that no one – from top officials to frontline social workers – is prepared for the aftermath of disasters like the Tai Po fire. Administrators who add to frontline responsibilities are themselves under pressure to deliver help to the affected.
Sam Leung Kin-hung, chairman of the General Union of Social Workers in the Social Welfare Department, has proposed notifying staff of new tasks in advance to help them manage their workload.
As the city inevitably moves on, the disaster will remain very real for survivors, and for the officials, workers and volunteers helping them rebuild their lives. It is good that the department has recognised the need to improve the flow of information to the front line and deployed staff to share the workload. The scale and complexity of the social welfare challenge will test frontline and administrative resources for a long time to come. The government needs to ensure that case workers and managers continue to get the moral and material support they need to uphold the city’s reputation for compassion for people at home and abroad in their time of need.