UAE: Why Caregivers Dealing With Abuse, Family Crises Cases Must Prioritise Own Wellbeing

Social workers and other caregivers spend their lives supporting families, children, and vulnerable groups, yet many neglect their own well-being. Social workers, in particular, deal daily with abuse cases, family crises, and vulnerable communities. But who looks after them?

Dr Asma Al Fahim, Executive Director - Family Cases Sector, Family Care Authority - Abu Dhabi, said this must change.“Social workers and caregivers must prioritise their own wellbeing before they reach burnout,” she said at the Social Care Forum Second Edition (2025) on Wednesday, 24 September.

“Every individual knows their limits and boundaries,” she added.“Don't wait to reach the breaking point. It's fine not to feel well, it's acceptable to be emotionally sensitive towards the cases you work on, and it's definitely fine to seek help.”

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She stressed the importance of counselling, therapeutic sessions, and communities of practice where social workers can recharge and build resilience.“Each person should know what helps them recover and grow stronger. This is a humanitarian career, not just a financial one, and people enter it because they care deeply. That's why I shifted from finance to social work.”

The two-day forum, hosted by the Department of Community Development (DCD) in partnership with Deloitte, gathered policymakers, providers, and international experts explored how local, regional, and global strategies can reshape the future of social care.

During the session, Raphaela Hyee, an economist at the OECD in France, noted that worldwide there is a shortage of social workers.“With analytics, the world will need 3 million more social workers in the future,” she said.

When Khaleej Times asked Dr Asma if that shortage applies to the UAE, she explained,“It's all about functionality. If every sector - education, health, social care - has functional and efficient social workers , then we won't need as many. What we are aiming for is enough social workers in every sector. If each pillar functions well, overall demand reduces. It will also make social work a more attractive career path for school graduates.”

Globally, the care sector faces significant challenges. Andrea Petrelli, social protection expert, shared that 2.1 billion people are currently in need of care, including children under six, older persons, and persons with disabilities, a figure set to rise to 2.3 billion by 2030. The care workforce accounts for 381 million jobs worldwide, representing 11.5 per cent of total employment, with health and education as the largest sectors.

Yet caregiving extends far beyond formal employment. Every day, 16.4 billion hours of unpaid care work are performed globally, equivalent to 2 billion full-time jobs. In Arab states, women perform 4.7 times more unpaid care work than men.

Petrelli emphasized that care is not just a household responsibility, but a public good.“Recognising and investing in the care economy strengthens entire labour markets and societies. Care work, whether paid or unpaid, underpins the functioning of our economies, supports families, and ensures the wellbeing of communities,” she said.

She also highlighted the need for policies that support both formal and informal caregivers, including fair compensation, training, and mental health support, to ensure the sector remains sustainable as global demand rises.

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