NORTHERN IRELAND

Social workers to strike over staff shortages

1 hour ago
Catherine Morrison,BBC News NI
PA

Some social workers in the Belfast Health Trust are taking 48 hours of strike action from Wednesday over a "staffing crisis" in family and childcare services.

About 40 members of the Nipsa trade union from three offices across Belfast will take part.

Industrial action will also extend to other trust areas in the coming weeks.

Nipsa said in some cases, staffing was about 30-50% below the required levels, which the union claimed had led to excessive workloads and stress.

'All-time high'


BBC News NI understands that in one office in the greater Belfast area, where 10 social work staff are needed, there are only two in place.

There are about 3,000 social workers in Northern Ireland.

A major report published in 2023 found hundreds of vacancies and an increase in demand for services following the pandemic.

The number of looked-after children has also hit an all-time high, with at least 3,800 looked-after children.

'Crying, leaving ... stressed out'

Nipsa said the strike action came after a period of negotiations with the Department of Health, which failed to address the problem of staff shortages.

Damien Maguire, who has been a social worker for 20 years, said some staff were working 50-60 hours every week.

"We can't do this anymore," he said.

"We can't have our members crying, leaving the profession, stressed out, retiring early, leaving to go to other jobs that they don't necessarily want to go into.

"This is people's lives, it's children's lives and it's families' lives but it's also the lives of those social workers who have lived experience of what it's like to work in the system."

The strike action is due to last until 10 May.

The BBC has contacted the Department of Health for a response.