In the wake of World Social Work Day on Tuesday 17 March, which highlighted unseen pressures on families, Badisa social workers said they are witnessing these realities daily across communities like Strand.
This year, World Social Work Day was celebrated under the theme “Co-Building Hope and Harmony: A Harambee Call to Unite a Divided Society”, a message that strongly resonates with social workers facing unprecedented demand for their services. “Today the middle-income group also reaches out for social services due to rising living costs and financial instability,” said Letitia Willemse, a social worker at the Western Cape-based organisation that serves more than a million people annually.
The increased demand reflects a concerning shift revealing a hidden crisis of financial pressure, mental-health struggles and family breakdown affecting previously self-sufficient households.
“We see more people asking for help who would previously have tried to get through difficult times on their own,” said Cornelia Giliomee, also a social worker at Badisa. “Economic pressure, parenting challenges and emotional strain play a role.”
Many family crises remain invisible to communities, with children suffering neglect due to parents overwhelmed by multiple challenges. “Many challenges people experience happen behind closed doors,” says Giliomee. “We see children who are neglected because parents are overwhelmed by substance abuse, poverty, unemployment or unresolved trauma.”
Willemse said mental-health issues like depression, anxiety and trauma from violence, are widespread, while food insecurity has increased.
Social workers say the public misunderstands their role, believing they exist mainly to remove children from homes.
“Our first priority is to support and strengthen families so that children can remain safely with their own families where possible,” said Giliomee.
Their work involves counselling, guidance and connecting families with resources. “We advocate, empower and protect,” Willemse adds.
They have seen communities rally during crises, citing a recent case where leaders intervened after a young boy was physically abused, resulting in the perpetrator’s arrest when criminal processes were delayed. “One of the simplest ways to help is to notice when someone is struggling and show care,” said Giliomee.
Willemse emphasised community responsibility: “Report, be involved. take ownership and then we will win together.”
