Family Services seem to be overburdened, and urged Social Services Minister the Hon. Quinton Edness to take action.

"Caseloads are definitely too large in Family Services,'' said Mr. Nelson Bascome, who worked as a social worker with the Bermuda Housing Corporation before his election to Parliament.

He said Mr. Edness should take "a good look at the Family Services department, see what their manpower is, see what their shortcomings are, see who is burned out and who is not burned out -- and do something to make sure those who aren't burned out don't get burned out.'' Mr. Edness agreed that the work load is increasing for the staff at Family Services, which provides assistance to children in need of protection from abuse and neglect. A poor economy has increased the load on social services but "not dramatically''.

Workers in Family Services, he said, "certainly are over-stretched, but they certainly aren't burned out. They do a great job....If someone felt that they needed some sort of counselling or relief, I'm sure that something would be done.

"I will readily admit that people in Family Services work hard and they have a lot of cases to deal with. But to say they are suffering from burn-out is wrong.'' Mr. Bascome was speaking in response to two cases reported this month in which social service workers asked the courts to extend temporary 28-day foster care by three months.

In both cases, the children's mothers complained 28 days provided plenty of time for the necessary investigations, but that even the most basic interviews had not taken place during that time.

Mr. Bascome said the Minister and Social Services "always say that their first priority is the care and protection of children''. Delays in this area, suggest the problems are extensive, he said.

Mr. Edness "has to be accountable. He can no longer go about the Country saying that all is well.''