Social workers need lighter caseloads, better legal protection and clear safety policies to address situations where they are attacked or threatened.

Verbal threats and attacks... were often perceived as ‘part of the job’

These were among the recommendations listed by the Maltese Association of Social Workers in a report that looked into how social workers could be safer at work.

About 78 per cent of social workers faced violent or dangerous situations, according to the report that quoted a 2006 study.

Due to heavy caseloads, social workers had less time to deal with each case and this led to frustration that escalated into threats and violence, explained association chairwoman Colette Farrugia Bennett.

She said that, unfortunately, verbal threats and attacks on social workers were a regular occurrence and they were often perceived as “part of the job”.

But it was time to change this, she insisted, shortly before a silent demonstration against violence on social workers, held in Valletta yesterday afternoon.

Ms Farrugia Bennett said all social workers – and not just those employed with the government – should be recognised as public officials. This would offer stronger legal protection because a person found guilty of attacking a public official faced a harsher punishment.

The demonstration was prompted by the recent case in which two social workers were assaulted.

A woman was last week charged with seriously injuring a care home manager, Holger Saliba, after her children managed to leave the place. She was also charged with assaulting senior therapeutic worker, Andrew Barberi. She is pleading not guilty.

Mr Saliba, who is also the chief operations officer at the Richmond Foundation, told Times of Malta it was important to raise awareness that verbal or physical assaults are not tolerated.

“Social workers and professionals who work with children, like teachers, police and hospital staff, already have sensitive jobs. They have to make tough decisions and should not be attacked because they are doing their job,” he added, stressing he was speaking in general terms.

Social Solidarity Minister Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca, who joined the demonstration, said the Government was committed to strengthening the profession.

She will be meeting the association tomorrow.

Members of the Malta Union of Teachers and the Maltese Psychological Association also took part.

A copy of the Maltese Association of Social Workers report was presented to the Opposition spokesman on social solidarity, Chris Said, who was accompanied by Nationalist MPs Claudette Buttigieg and Robert Cutajar.

Social workers’ recommendations

• Assess the situation in relation to safety, risk and client violence in social work.
• Ensure that all social workers get safety training.
• Ensure that safety and violence policies are in place.
• Adopt a zero tolerance attitude towards violence.
• Address the problem of caseloads.
• Establish support systems for staff who suffer violence.
• Improve legal protection for social workers.
• Financial compensation for those exposed to daily high risk situations.