Various issues causing headache for child intervention practitioners in Alberta

By Justin Sibbet - Lethbridge Herald Local Journalism Initiative Reporter on July 17, 2024.

LETHBRIDGE HERALDjsibbet@lethbridgeherald.com

For two years, child intervention practitioners have been facing an uphill battle, according to union representatives.

The Alberta Union of Provincial Employees (AUPE), says “an Alberta government hiring practice has created a crisis in care that is putting vulnerable children at risk.”

Curtis Jackson, vice president of AUPE, says the children who are affected by staffing shortages include those with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, cognitive disabilities and others who are facing a multitude of challenges.

“In many cases, these are the most vulnerable children in our province,” said Jackson, adding the job of these employees is to keep the children safe. “A child intervention practitioner is tasked with the job of assessing that child’s safety in their home.”

He says the Government of Alberta initially began changing the way staff were hired in this occupation to bolster numbers in 2022, but it hasn’t worked.

“They did it to address recruitment and retention issues that they were facing in children’s services at that time,” said Jackson. “Now, what essentially they did, was lower the minimum recruitment standards to do the job of a child intervention practitioner.”

He says this was also a change that was made without the knowledge or consent of the union members.

“When they did that, they did it without consulting meaningfully with the union.”

Ashli Barrett, press secretary for the office of Minister of Children and Family Services, said in a statement to the Lethbridge Herald, a child’s safety will always come first for the government and she understands the role played by intervention workers.

“The safety and well-being of children and youth are the first and top priority of Alberta’s government and we value the important role child intervention workers play in supporting vulnerable Albertans,” said Barrett.

She says the Alberta government knows there are challenges in the industry, but they are more than willing to make the necessary changes to accommodate the needs of new and existing employees.

“Our government is focused on addressing workforce challenges, including undertaking a number of initiatives to bolster recruitment, retention and support of existing staff. This includes expediting and streamlining interview processes, adding recruitment staff, offering flexible work options, as well as enhanced mentorship and mental health supports.”

She also says the government has actually been able to add hundreds of new employees over the past two years.

“We continue to post and fill jobs as quickly as we can. These efforts are paying off with approximately 450 child intervention practitioners hired in 2022 and 2023.”

Jackson, however, says there are serious staffing shortages, even right here in the southern part of the province.

“Four years ago, there was a staff of more than 45 in Medicine Hat, including seven teams of five or six practitioners, plus supervisors and intake workers. There are now only 18 staff,” said Jackson.

Furthermore, he says the government has made it possible for simply unqualified people to now begin working this job.

“Historically, it was required to have a bachelor’s degree in social worker and associated professions, (but not anymore),” said Jackson. “What that ultimately ends in, is we have workers coming on they’re being asked to do the work, not having any formal anti-oppressive practice training, any social sciences framework training from a qualitative post-secondary education institution.”

He says this has created challenges for qualified staff as they are now being required to train on the job as well as perform their regular duties. Even beyond training, Jackson says there is a problem with the green bills as well.

“What we’ve actually found through doing this research is that government workers are over 26 per cent behind what the cost-of-living increases have been in comparison to their wage increases.”

This, combined with the limited recruiting requirements, is causing a serious concern for practitioners, according to Jackson.

“Nobody would want to do that work for less, but essentially, that’s what the government’s asking us to do.”

Currently, AUPE and the Government of Alberta are in collective bargaining agreement talks and Barrett says it is important for AUPE to remain involved.

“As these are matters being discussed at the collective bargaining table with the employer, we would encourage AUPE to continue to engage in that forum,” said Barrett.