Research Framework: Few studies have focused on social workers’ emotional needs and the emotional demands associated with their work.

Objectives: This article presents some of the social and organizational factors involved in the increase of emotional difficulties (ED) among social workers. It also presents the consequences of ED in interactions with the children and families being monitored.

Methodology: This qualitative study was conducted with 43 social workers working on the frontline, as well as the second- and the third line of public services involved in the social safety net for vulnerable children and families in Quebec. Our theoretical framework uses the interactionist sociology of emotions.

Results: The results show the use of regular and persistent surface acting as emotional labour by professionals, due to emotional dissonance related to the practitioner’s political orientations and conditions of practice. When emotional labour is compromised or prevented, subsequent emotions, attitudes and behaviours give rise to mutually hurtful relationships between practitioners and users. The results also show a decrease in the intensity of follow-ups, of empathy towards users and a fallback behind procedures, as well as a decline in the ability to manage uncertainty and in the quality of work.

Conclusion: We discuss the importance of depersonalizing ED at work by acting on the structures and conditions of practice, as well as valuing and promoting emotional labour in the interest of practitioners, children and families followed.

Contribution: This article contributes to a better understanding of ED and the psychological difficulties of social workers, and the role played by emotional labour in human and health service professions and relationships with users.