Debate contribution: Social Workers: Safeguarding, Early Intervention and Family Support

Debate contribution by Ms Sian Mulholland on 29 June 2026.

MLA: Ms Sian Mulholland
Party at the time: Alliance Party
Date: 29 June 2026
Type: Debate contribution
Business: Oral Answers to Questions
Heading: Social Workers: Safeguarding, Early Intervention and Family Support
Assembly identifier: Official Report component 5644861

Text

Thank you, Minister. I am glad to hear you say that the role played by social workers is "complex and challenging". From what I hear from those who have contacted me, social workers are stretched to capacity. What is the Department doing to address that? Will you take the opportunity to refute your party leader's assertion that social work, in this context, is about a:
"woolly, nice sense of sitting down on a beanbag and chatting about it over a cuppa"? [Official Report (Hansard), 15 June 2026, p101, col 2].
That was exceptionally hurtful to a lot of social workers who got in contact with me.

106 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Part of an exchange

This follow-up belongs to: Oral question AQO 3807/22-27.

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