Social Transformation Minister Rawdon Turner has raised concerns about the emotional toll that serious child abuse cases are taking on frontline social workers.

Director General of Communications Maurice Merchant said during Thursday’s post-Cabinet briefing that workers are increasingly being exposed to disturbing cases involving children and women.

He cited a reported case involving a newborn diagnosed with a sexually transmitted infection as an example of the difficult situations professionals are being called to handle.

Merchant said social workers and police officers are often among the first responders in suspected abuse cases, adding that investigations can become more challenging when relatives are reluctant to provide information about alleged perpetrators.

The circumstances surrounding the newborn’s diagnosis were not disclosed, and the diagnosis alone does not establish how the infection was transmitted, as some infections can pass from mother to child during pregnancy or childbirth.

Turner’s concerns have placed greater attention on the psychological wellbeing of professionals who regularly deal with the effects of abuse while working to protect vulnerable children.

This article was originally published by Antigua News Room. Read the original article here: Disturbing Child Abuse Cases Taking Toll on Social Workers.