The following statement was given today in the House of Assembly by the Honourable Charlene Johnson, Minister of Child, Youth and Family Services:

Minister Recognizes Social Workers in Newfoundland and Labrador

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize National Social Work Month and express gratitude to all social workers in Newfoundland and Labrador for their exceptional service.

National Social Work Month is held annually in March and serves to highlight the continued dedication of our social workers, who provide supportive services to the most vulnerable populations in our province.

Our province is very fortunate to have such accomplished and compassionate social workers. I am pleased to extend a thank you to these professionals for their valuable contributions and outstanding commitment to those who benefit greatly from their support.

There are over 1,400 registered social workers in the province practising across a broad scope of service areas including hospitals, seniors’ homes, child protection, corrections, addictions, mental health and schools, to name a few. Of these social workers, approximately 340 work with the Department of Child, Youth and Family Services. They are a key driving force in our goal to revitalize our child protection system.

The theme for National Social Work Month 2012 is Social Workers: Building Relationships, Strengthening Communities, Partnering for Change. This theme highlights the importance of working together and our government remains fully committed to working collaboratively with all our stakeholders and social workers.

Mr. Speaker, I would also like to recognize an outstanding individual in the field of social work whose dedication and leadership skills earned her a Distinguished Service Award from the Canadian Association of Social Workers. Wanda Lundrigan was nominated by the Newfoundland and Labrador Association of Social Workers and selected as the winning representative for this province. Over the course of her 32-year career in social work, Ms. Lundrigan has served countless individuals and groups and has been a valuable member of the Department of Child, Youth and Family Services as Assistant Deputy Minister of Service Delivery and Regional Operations. I ask all members of this Honourable House to join me in offering congratulations to Ms. Lundrigan and to acknowledge all social workers for the positive impact they continue to make in the communities they serve throughout our province. Thank you Mr. Speaker.

2012 03 15             1:50 p.m.