8 Celebrating Allied Health Professionals
SUPPLEMENT TO THE FREE PRESS • SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2026
SOCIAL WORKER
Heart and healthcare HOW SOCIAL WORKERS SUPPORT CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES
By Kristin Marand A lannah Tomchuk always knew she wanted to work with people. In her first job in the social sector, she worked with at-risk youth at a treatment centre and went on to work with families in child protection. She also worked as a child abuse inves- tigator. So, it was a natural extension of her empathy and compassion that she would eventually study social work. “I feel like social work was literally in my bones, like it was always going to be my path. I don't know what I would have done otherwise,” Tomchuk says. “I’ve always had an inherent curiosity for people and the social world around me. I've always been a listener and an observer, and I've always asked a lot of questions,” she continues. “I'm an advocate at heart. I would often find myself speaking up in situations where something didn't add up or seem right to me, or when another person didn't feel they could do it themselves. So it really [is] built into my personality.” Tomchuk began her studies at the University of Manitoba’s Faculty of Social Work at the start of the COVID pandemic. “I started my studies during a time that was very turbulent for everybody. At the same time, you start- ed to see this need for social workers rapidly in- creasing because you had folks retiring and leaving the field, [many] because they had already been con - sidering it and the pandemic was their final nudge,” she says. “Simultaneously, you were seeing folks really struggling with what was going on at the time. So you're studying, and you're seeing this need increas- ing. I was very eager to get out and start practicing and working with people.” Tomchuk works with inpatients in acute care at HSC Children’s Hospital. This includes children who have experienced trauma injuries, motor vehi- cle collisions, burns and post-surgery patients. Her
daily routine includes allied health rounds, visiting patients alongside occupational and physiothera- pists, dietitians, and child life specialists, all working collaboratively with patients, their caregivers and extended families. “I end up working with people during what can be a highly traumatic and challenging time in their lives. I'm here to walk alongside them and support them however is needed, helping them navigate the path forward after whatever has happened, wheth- er that means connecting people to the resources they need or even just providing emotional support. That's all within social work's role,” Tomchuk says. Social work, as part of the allied health continuum, takes a humanistic, holistic and collaborative ap- proach, aspiring for the best possible patient health outcomes by addressing the social determinants of health, Tomchuk explains. Initial patient assess- ment begins with bio-psycho-social evaluations to identify areas of need and strengths. One aim of Tomchuk’s work is to help build capac- ity and bolster support networks. “Children are incredibly strong, and they're so re- silient, and I see them heal so well and be so strong and so brave and that's really rewarding,” she says. “In my role as a social worker, not only do I get to see the care and the support that children and their families receive, but I also get to be an active part of it, so I feel very lucky to get to be a part of the patient's journey, recovering and healing.” Tomchuk shares that she feels honoured have an opportunity to show someone what a trusting, safe, kind, and compassionate interaction is. She encour- ages others whose values are rooted in compassion to explore social work. “My mantra as a social worker is ‘Go where you're needed’. That's how I practice. I show up first, and then I figure it out. I see how I can help. Go where you're needed, and see what you can do,” she says. ■
One of Alannah Tomchuk's aims as a social worker is to help young people build capacity and bolster their support networks. Supplied
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