At Holland Bloorview, social workers are working every day to meet the social, emotional and service needs of children, youth and their families through trauma-informed services and supports. They support clients in many important facets of their care journey, from coping with new or changing diagnoses to providing counselling for families. They advocate on clients’ and families’ behalf in the community and collaborate with partners and schools to ensure clients are receiving the supports they need.

Social workers support all the hospital’s in-patient clinical teams as well as many outpatient clinics  including the neuromotor and neuromuscular clinics just to name a few. Social workers also support vital community programs such as The Independence Program.

Our social work team is also training the next generation of social workers in pediatric disability through practicum placements for graduate students in the Master’s of Social Work degree programs.

Meet Leah Gauer, the social worker in the psychopharmacology clinic. This outpatient clinic sees nearly 300 clients each year whose complex medical and developmental differences need support to manage their medications as part of their overall treatment plan.

Gauer works with an interdisciplinary team of health-care professionals such as  specialized physicians, nurse practitioners, registered nurses, behavioural analysts and pharmacists among other team members to support clients’ unique needs.

Josh Scroggy, operations manager of Holland Bloorview's autism services and pharmacology clinic, explains that Gauer’s role is crucial to the team’s capacity in providing more holistic support for families, and in turn enabling each team member to ‘maximize their role within their scope of practice.’

“The psychopharmacology clinic’s team supports clients with some of the most complex needs in the province,” says Scroggy. “Given the high levels of stress and burnout experienced by parents and their need for support in navigating the health-care system to address non-medication strategies, a social worker is instrumental in providing comprehensive care.”

Q & A with Gauer:

What drew you to this role?

What drew me to this role is the opportunity to be part of an interdisciplinary team that provides compassionate, holistic, and family-centered support.

Having worked extensively in the community, I understood how difficult it could be for families to navigate multiple services and systems on their own. Also, knowing that the clinic serves clients and families from across Ontario, many of whom have limited local resources, motivated me to join and try to make a meaningful impact.

Can you describe what you would do on a typical day as a social worker on the psychopharmacology team?

A typical day often looks different from week to week. My role primarily involves meeting families to understand their unique challenges, strengths, and needs. I assist families by helping them access essential resources such as funding and respite, supporting them to navigate systems and advocating for their child’s unique needs. I spend time collaborating closely with our interdisciplinary team to offer support that is tailored to each family’s individual circumstances. Most of the families I support are experiencing high stress or burnout. I always try to help families feel heard and less overwhelmed.

What do you find the most rewarding in your role and the support you provide to clients and families?

There are many aspects of my role that I find rewarding. For example, seeing families feel more supported, empowered and hopeful as they navigate their child's complex needs. Working with a team that is dedicated to improving the quality if life of clients and their families feels very meaningful. Also, learning from families as they realize that they are not alone and can overcome barriers is very rewarding and reminds me of why I am a social worker.

What would you like to share with everyone as we recognize World Social Work Day today?

As we celebrate World Social Work Day, I would like everyone to know that it's always okay to reach out to a social worker for help, and asking for support is a sign of strength. I am extremely proud to be part of the incredible social work team at Holland Bloorview. Happy World Social Work Day!