Jeers to the Hawaii Department of Education for laying off school social workers when the Great Recession has caused greater hardship for the state’s families.

According to this article in the Honolulu Civil Beat the school system laid off six of its 69 social workers, leaving a social worker-to-student ratio of one for every 2,698 students. The U.S. Department of Education recommends one social worker for every 800 students, the article said.

“I know they’re having a really hard time following up on the students they need to follow up on,” said Debbie Shimizu, executive director of the National Association of Social Workers’ Hawaii Chapter. “I’m not sure how they’re keeping up with trying to do all that, but I know they’re having a really hard time.”

To learn more about how social workers help young people overcome life’s hurdles, visit the NASW’s “Help Starts Here” Kids & Families Web pages by clicking here.