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Five New Social Workers Joan Marie Aylward, Minister of Social Services, announced today that a new budget measure will help clients, in receipt of Social Assistance, collect court-ordered support payments. The department will be hiring five new social workers who will assist clients of the department to obtain voluntary or court-ordered support orders. This initiative will allow two pilot projects, which were successfully conducted over the last two years in St. John's and Corner Brook, to be expanded to provide for province-wide coverage. "These social workers will provide counselling services to single parents seeking social assistance who are experiencing difficulty in obtaining financial support from their spouses or the non-custodial parents of their children," said the minister. "This measure will continue to benefit clients, even after they exit the Income Support Program." In addition to helping clients obtain support orders, these social workers will also address, when required, the complex concerns and needs of clients who have experienced family conflict and breakdown. The social workers will provide mediation services in the negotiation of private support agreements and assist in determining an appropriate support payment based on the non-custodial parent's resources. These social workers will also assist, when necessary, with court applications, provide support for clients having to appear in court and may appear in court to facilitate the support application process. Contact: Glenn Bruce, Director of Public Relations, 729-4062
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