Some social workers reach a high level, which leads them to leave the profession
A silent tragedy is unfolding among Singapore’s social workers, the professionals who keep vulnerable families from falling through the cracks.
Most deal with 30 to 50 active cases at any given time, and in line with the emotional demands of the job, social workers often start with a minimum salary of around S$4,000. Some even reach a critical situation, the pressure in some cases leads doctors to leave the profession altogether.
What is a typical day like for these workers, and what measures are in place to help them cope with the increasing stress?
Too many situations, too little time
On paper, social workers in Singapore handle an average of 22 cases a year, according to the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF). However, on the ground, many doctors told the media that the truth is very different.
In 2022, some social workers who spoke to former MP Louis Ng said they were handling between 30 and 50 cases at any given time—that’s at least 50% more than MSF’s average number. He described such activities as excessive, warning that they directly harm the quality of care social workers can provide.
With so many cases, there is not enough time to provide the care each family needs. And when a problem arises, they cannot choose between one client and another because everyone’s situation is equally critical.
The charges are not specific. A single file may involve domestic violence, a child at risk, a parent with an untreated mental illness, and a family about to be evicted—all at the same time.
Another social worker said Channel News Asia (CNA) that ultimately the job comes down to making sure children are safe, adults have a place to live, and families don’t fight. But doing that well requires time that many social workers say they don’t have.
In addition, heavy administrative demands exacerbate the problem. One employee noted that direct contact with customers—real service work—takes up only five to ten percent of his time. The rest is paperwork.
The COVID-19 pandemic has worsened the difficulties of our social workers, with a July 2021 study by the Asian Social Work and Policy Review finding that about 60% of frontline social workers experienced anxiety when the pandemic worsened and about 45% even experienced depression.
When love becomes a bond
Many social workers enter the field driven by a strong sense of purpose. But in this field, some say love alone isn’t enough to sustain them—and it can backfire.
The anonymous creator of the Instagram account @SGSocialWorkMemes, known in the industry for portraying the experiences of social workers, shared in an interview with. CNA that this narrative can have unintended consequences.
Branding social workers as results-motivated rather than income-driven, they say, would be an excuse to justify low pay, turning fair compensation into an imaginary bonus rather than a right to work and hours logged.
Starting salaries in this field are around S$4,000 per month, with many earning between S$3,000 and S$4,000. With a role that carries significant responsibility and emotional stress, some argue that the salary does not adequately reflect the needs of the job.
The overemphasis on passion also, over time, gives a wide misconception: that social work is something that anyone can do, or that social workers are paid volunteers. This undermines the true expertise, training, and skill required for the job.
Burnout from work
Another social worker who spoke to him CNA, Amelia (not her real name) has been in the industry for 10 years. He described a workday that sometimes runs from 9am to 4am, managing his 20 cases, supervising eight social workers each handling an average of 30 cases, and responding to back-to-back issues throughout.
These problems can range from a text about a client running out of milk, to a message about a man beating his wife—sometimes with a picture of an injury or a bloody wound—to bringing three children to the hospital and putting them to bed at 4AM, just five hours before work starts the next morning.
This is what burnout looks like in social work: not just exhaustion, but heartbreak and compassion fatigue accumulated over years of absorbing other people’s worst moments. As one employee explained, “The more you do, the more you can’t look away.
In addition to emotional distress, social workers also describe structural frustration. Another ongoing requirement is “mandatory supervision” of children—home visits or video calls to ensure their safety in person. Practitioners say the surveillance work can sit comfortably alongside the sector’s broader mission of supporting disadvantaged families rather than policing them.
Disagreement is also compounded by the rigid structural frameworks in Singapore’s social welfare system. Where funding and targeting are linked to specific outcomes, such as employment, social workers may find themselves unable to legitimately address linked issues such as housing instability or mental health, even if these are clearly central to the family situation. Seeing as those needs can’t be met with a system that’s too narrowly defined can add long-term difficulties.
What is being done
The pressures on our social workers have not gone unnoticed.
MSF has been updating the salary guidelines continuously in recent years. In the latest social sector review, starting salaries for social workers and counselors increased by 3% by 2025 to S$3,970.
Overall, recommended salaries for all roles in the sector increased by an average of 5%. Some positions saw a major adjustment of up to 15% in the 2026 fiscal year, which runs from April 2026 to Mar 2027.
Apart from the salary adjustment, the National Council of Social Service also launched the Sabbatical Leave Program last February, giving social service professionals 10 weeks of paid leave with a salary support of up to S$15,000 to recharge and refresh, under the condition that the participants teach their younger colleagues and share what they have learned when they return.
Taken together, these measures show gradual efforts to strengthen the sector, although growth remains low compared to demand. As of Dec 2024, there were 3,031 licensed social workers in Singapore—an increase of about 7.8% in the number of registered social workers from last year.
To increase the workforce, several efforts were made.
In Sept 2025, the Singapore University of Social Sciences started its sixth school, the School of Social Work and Community Development, which aims to strengthen the sector through education, research and collaboration. The launch comes as Singapore faces increasingly complex challenges and a projected need for 2,000 more social service professionals over the next five years.
A basic question
The social services sector in Singapore needs to expand because the demand for it is increasing. An aging population, rising mental health concerns, and growing family problems are on the rise.
But social work carries a high level of responsibility and an equally high emotional burden, with pay that many in the profession describe as modest relative to the demands of the job.
As the gap between growing demand and limited capacity continues, the question becomes whether the system can grow fast enough to support those who hold it at the top—before burnout turns into exhaustion, and sinks into gaps in caring for families who need it most.
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Featured Image Credit: Ken stocker via Shutterstock
