Government social workers supporting survivors of Hong Kong’s deadly Tai Po fire are struggling to manage their “indefinite” duties, with poor communication about new initiatives compounding the stress of their already heavy caseloads.

Several social workers, including a union leader, told the South China Morning Post that they needed clarity from authorities on their roles and duties to better manage public expectations and ensure relevant agencies, such as the Housing Bureau, could help address complex frontline questions.

The call for more support follows the death of a social worker, under the government’s “one social worker per household” initiative, who collapsed on the street in late January and later died.

While the official cause of death has not been made public, the case has sparked concern about the heavy workload and stress faced by frontline staff.

“When we heard about the death of that colleague, we were not only sad but also worried that we might be the next one,” said one social worker, who has been with the Social Welfare Department for a few years and agreed to speak on condition of anonymity.

The “one social worker per household” initiative was launched a day after the fire broke out in Tai Po’s Wang Fuk Court in late November. One dedicated worker was assigned to each of the 1,984 families to provide comprehensive support, from subsidy applications to grief counselling.