Around 400 employees who provide care to youth in 34 New Brunswick group homes are receiving an increase in pay.
Families and Children Minister Stephen Horsman announced an investment from the provincial government that will mean a raise of 40 cents per hour.
“The work that they do, and the caring that they have for these children, we want to show that we know the importance of keeping the youth safe and feeling loved. We know that sometimes young people can’t live with their own families . We are hearing that there is a turnover in employment because workers are going elsewhere for more money.”
There are 14 agencies in New Brunswick that operate these group homes, that provide more than 150 licensed beds.
The group homes are operated by non profit agencies and they received funding through social development…to cover administrative and operational costs..
Horsman says, “This is a start. 40 cents an hour, retroactive to April 1st. It is a half a million dollars per year more from Social Development into the workers at the groups homes.”
“This is a great first step in moving toward wage parity for our workforce,” says Mel Kennah, president of the New Brunswick Association of Youth Residential Services and executive director of Impact Youth in Moncton.
“The member agencies of the New Brunswick Association of Youth Residential Services see this wage increase as part of an ongoing conversation with Social Development and as part of a larger commitment to bring stability to recruitment and retention challenges for our workforce.”
