Northern Ireland’s chief social worker has paid tribute to fellow practitioners after one was seriously injured in the line of duty last week.
Aine Morrison made the comments following an incident in Dungannon, County Tyrone, last Thursday (3 November), after which a 16-year-old girl was charged with attempted murder, reports the BBC.
“Everyone in the social work family and the wider health and social care system is deeply shocked by what has happened to our colleague,” said Morrison. “We extend our support to her and her family circle and our best wishes for a full recovery.
“Social workers are an integral part of the health and social care frontline. They play a vital role in ensuring that vulnerable people in our community are safe and protected. While this type of incident is rare, it is a reminder of the difficult situations that social workers can face. I pay tribute to the invaluable work they do day and daily and want to assure the profession they have my utmost support.”
The girl who has been charged appeared at Dungannon Magistrates’ Court on Saturday, said the BBC’s report.
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And still we face this day in and day out often with very little support, the caseloads are not changing and nor is the lack of staff. Surely something is going to be done soon to protect our valuable staff who constantly face dangerous situations ‘in the line of duty’