It
is a system after all. It was not specifically designed for MCFD or for Child
Welfare case management for that matter. Oh, Oh! Since it’s inauguration design
flaws have been immediately encountered and flagged and implementation flaws
have frustrated front-line social workers and in some cases overwhelmed them.
Social workers were given almost no time to learn this computerized system
which appears to be more complicated than anyone imagined. E-Learning was
prescribed as the model by which social workers could educate themselves but
not with time off to accommodate that responsibility. Rather, they were to fit
this duty into their busy schedules. This is inadequate. Further, there were only
17 online training modules which is woefully insufficient.
By
all reports these glitches are not the expected anomalies of a new system but
rather there are fundamental flaws with both design and implementation. Over
2000 social workers are campaigning to have the government scrap this new
system and begin again. It is allegedly responsible already for some high risk
incidents. Reports have been received that work loads have actually increased
for workers with regard to certain aspects of their jobs. Social workers have
left work distraught and in tears. The Children’s Deputy Minister, Stephen
Brown is promising to work on improvements by the end of summer. He denies that
the system is worse than what the Ministry used before and expresses not
knowledge of safety-related incidents. But he does admit that he has heard from
staff who are stressed by the software and training provisions.
