ATSA calls for prevention strategies, training, and safety measures to combat burnout from housing crisis,

The Andorran Association of Social Workers (ATSA) has demanded urgent institutional measures to protect the mental health of social services staff, who endure daily exposure to Andorra's severe housing crisis, poverty, and violence—including direct assaults on professionals.

Issued on World Social Work Day, March 17, the association's statement calls on public administrations and private entities to introduce prevention and self-care strategies, case supervision, accessible training for all staff, tailored workplace safety protocols, and responses to aggression in both public and private services. ATSA highlighted key burnout factors: intense emotional demands from constant active listening to stories of suffering, organizational pressures such as high caseloads, staff shortages, excessive bureaucracy, and empathy fatigue.

The group described social work as a profession facing unsustainable emotional and structural overload, with professionals serving as frontline observers of the Principat's social challenges and key drivers of change. "ATSA is the formal structure and voice of exhausted professionals who remain committed, critical, and constructive," the statement said, urging hierarchical leaders to examine their oversight role.

This year, ATSA shifted from previous formats to emphasize professional recognition and pedagogy around the role of social workers. The 2026 theme from the International Federation of Social Workers (IFSW), "Building hope and harmony: a Harambee call for a divided society," stresses cooperation, solidarity, and collective responsibility in crises. The Swahili term "Harambee"—meaning "all pulling together"—underscores shared accountability.

ATSA posed a stark question to society and employers: what would happen if social services stopped nationwide for just one week? It insisted that institutions provide realistic staffing ratios suited to current conditions, supervision, and schedules to curb burnout, arguing that supporting professionals enables them to support others. "Caring for professionals so they can care," the association stressed, framing well-being as essential for the sector's sustainability.