Maannguaq Broberg, social worker.
Why are you a social worker?
Maannguaq Broberg, social worker.
Why are you a social worker?
– Because I really like helping to develop children. Realizing that I could contribute to their development, I began studying to gain a deeper understanding of child development. It means a lot to me to follow children’s development and see them grow. I’m very happy when I’m around children – it’s as if we give each other energy as we learn and develop together.
How do you experience everyday life?
– The days are different. I always expect to go home with a feeling of having contributed – that is my main goal. The cooperation among the staff is always good, but of course there are challenges such as staff shortages. This means that we often have to handle several tasks at once, such as cooking, cleaning and organizing office work at the same time.
On average, we have maybe three challenging days a week.
– That is why we sometimes go home completely exhausted. What we can give the children becomes limited and we become very stressed. On average, we have maybe three challenging days a week. The summer period can be particularly hard because we are extra busy.
Can you tell about a day at work that shows how the lack of hands affects you and the children?
– We have experienced only two employees working for 24 children. We gather all the children, help those who need support to eat and make sure that everyone gets food. It is very stressful. It becomes almost normal to think: “We can handle it”, even though we know very well that it is neither healthy nor safe to be under such pressure.
– We forget ourselves, and this can have consequences, for example sick leave due to stress. It wears on the body, and we work more than we can handle. Due to the lack of staff, one feels inadequate.
If you could change one thing about your work tomorrow, what would it be?
– The salary. It should be adapted to the reality we work in. We are located where the need is greatest – with the smallest children and their development. The salary does not reflect the responsibility and effort we put in, especially when everything else in society is also becoming more expensive. We work hard – both at work and in private. Often one person does the work of two or three without being recognized or compensated. The responsibility we take is not noticed and the salary remains the same. It feels crooked.
– An economic improvement would make everyday life less burdensome. I would also like better opportunities for support, as work is very taxing on the body. For example, access to massages or conversations with a psychologist – this is something that is missing. Often we are only seen when we are overloaded. If we want to buy something for the children, such as toys or something that can make everyday life easier, it often requires a lot of insistence. It’s exhausting. At the same time, we also bear the consequences of savings in the day care institutions.
