Harold Andrewjack shares his experiences on the job
Jorge Barrera
Northern News Services
Yellowknife (Nov 17/00) - In the 15 years that Harold Andrewjack was a child protection worker in Yellowknife, he more than once plucked an infant from the breast of a drunken mother.
There was no time to reflect on the experience; time only to call a foster home, write the report and then begin a new day.
The work and constant pressure eventually got Andrewjack and drove him out of child care. Only now is he coming to terms with some of his experiences as a child care worker in Yellowknife.
"I think in terms of importance, child protection workers are up there with the RCMP," said Andrewjack, who is now with the Workers Compensation Board.
Andrewjack had altruistic reasons for choosing child protection work. He wanted to help people, but looking back "I don't know if I would do it, if I knew then what I know now."
Crisis is a given for child protection workers. Andrewjack says it takes a strong person with the ability to push emotions aside when there is a job to do.
"Very often when people call us they're at their at wits end," he said.
"It's stressful those desperate situations."
But what about happy endings?
"I guess in a way when we apprehend a child from a dangerous situation and maybe save their life there is an element of satisfaction," said Andrewjack.
"Or when a child goes back home for the last time or a child is adopted, those are the happy endings." But those are few and far between. Overall it's a tough job, with overflowing case loads.
"We need more help so workers can focus on the serious situations," said Andrewjack.
The system also needs a debriefing program to ease the emotional strain on childcare workers and keep them from burning out.
"The work is an emotional drag. You have to go home and think about it and you don't want to vent with other workers who have their own problems," he said.
"We need a program specifically for social workers so we can go home and feel OK."
