Editorial: Valuing social work beyond stipends

“I want to sow a seed of hope.” “I want to give something back.”

These are the words of young people training to become social workers, who describe their chosen profession as “unique”.

Their reflections come at a moment when the government announced a significant increase in stipends for social work students, which will more than double from €196 to €440 per month. The profession has now been designated as “high priority”, as part of a wider effort to attract more students into the field.

For students, the increase is more than symbolic. Social work courses require extensive hours of supervised practice, leaving little time for part-time employment.

It is undoubtedly a welcome move. But is it enough?

At the same launch, Alfred Grixti, head of the Foundation for Social Welfare Services – Malta’s largest employer of social workers, with around 300 currently on its books – outlined the scale of the challenge ahead.

At least 130 additional social workers will be needed within the next four years, at current service-user levels. If recent trends continue, demand is expected to grow further. In 2024, the foundation was engaged in over 25,000 cases – a 4.3% increase compared to 2023 and a 97.9% rise since 2013.

Malta has repeatedly heard of the critical lack of social workers and the data has long pointed to deeper structural problems. A 2022 doctoral study by a senior social worker found that three out of every four frontline social workers cited burnout and administrative overload as key reasons for leaving the profession.

Over 40% felt that social work is undervalued – not only by the public but by other professionals.

In response to staffing shortages, the government had introduced the role of “social welfare professionals” – individuals who typically hold degrees in humanities-related fields but lack formal social work training and are not regulated by the Social Work Profession board.

Back in 2022, the Social Workers Association criticised the lack of consultation surrounding this measure and noted that, without proper training and regulation, professional standards – and, ultimately, service users – risk being compromised.

The authorities have now shifted their focus to attracting more people to the recognised social worker profession.

More recently, the Malta College for Arts, Science and Technology started offering a course in social work, now in its second year. This is a more fieldwork-based course. Grixti noted that improved working conditions and salaries were also part of the strategy to attract and retain more people – apart from the increased stipends.

Encouraging more students to enter the field is necessary but it is not enough. They must be retained.

Social work, while deeply meaningful, is emotionally and psychologically

demanding. Daily exposure to trauma, poverty, abuse, addiction and family breakdown takes its toll. Without manageable caseloads, adequate supervision, competitive salaries and genuine support, burnout becomes unavoidable.

There is also a broader societal question at play. We live in a world where those working in private gaming or tech industries often earn significantly more than those whose work centres on care ‒ social workers, nurses and teachers. All work has value but some professions invest their energy and emotional well-being into improving the lives of others.

If Malta truly believes in social cohesion, prevention and dignity, then valuing social workers cannot be reduced to periodic policy announcements or crisis-driven reforms. It must be reflected in long-term workforce planning, respectful working environments and sustained public recognition.

The students who say they want to “sow a seed of hope” are offering something invaluable. The responsibility now lies with society and policymakers to ensure that seed is nurtured, not left to wither under pressure or neglect.