FREDERICTON — Advocates say a horrific case of child neglect in New Brunswick is far from the only case in the province and are urging the public to report any neglect or abuse they see.
Two recent reports have highlighted a case in Saint John where five young children were left in a situation of filth and squalor where they were malnourished, suffered serious dental decay, and missed long periods of their schooling.
New Brunswick Child and Youth Advocate Norm Bosse says he knows there are other cases out there, and the public needs to report anything they see in order to protect children.
Miguel LeBlanc, executive director of the New Brunswick Association of Social Workers, says for the most part the system is working, but government needs to make changes to improve service and reduce burnout among social workers.
In neighbouring Nova Scotia, Alec Stratford, the executive director of the province's College of Social Workers, says the system is on the brink of crisis mode where social workers are increasingly stressed and are burning out.
He says more resources are needed to deal with families before they get into a crisis situation.