Child Protection

Protect the worker = protect the child

Child protection workers and the children in their care are facing unnecessary danger due to unsafe workloads, inadequate resources and a lack of support for workers suffering from stress and burnout.

Community Public Sector Union - State Public Services Federation Federal Secretary, David Carey said Governments must accept their statutory responsibility to protect the children of Australia.

A meeting of workers and union organisers representing child protection workers from every state unanimously passed the attached resolution at a meeting in Sydney.

"Many more children would have faced dangerous and at times life-threatening situations if it were not for the good-will of these workers," he said.

Child protection workers were highly committed professionals who stretched every resource and worked incredibly hard to provide the best care possible for the children in their care.

"Members are fed up with working excessively long hours week after week without adequate support," he said.

Many child protection workers, particularly in regional areas, were forced to attend dangerous situations on their own.

"This is particularly traumatic for our members because they know if they don't deal with a situation quickly it could result in a child being hurt," Mr Carey said.

They are often verbally and physically harassed and threatened and then have to wake up and do it all again the next day.

"If we are serious about taking care of Australia's children then we have to be serious about taking care of the people who work in child protection," he said.

Mr Carey said the union would organise a national campaign to bring the issues faced by workers to the attention of politicians and members of the public.

Please distribute below to all child protection workers

The following resolution was passed at a national meeting of child protection workers in Sydney on November 9.

CPSU the Union representing child protection workers across Australia and its members are united in working together to achieve a safe and effective child protection system for workers and children. At present unsafe workloads and working conditions result in workers and children continuing to be at significant risk. The current inadequate systems compromise workers ability to protect children and prevent further abuse occurring.

Governments must accept their statutory responsibility to protect children, by adequately resourcing the statutory child protection departments across Australia. Currently they are failing to do this and are compromising their duty of care to workers and children.

We demand a system that adequately responds and protects children who are at risk of harm, or who have been harmed and not a system that reacts to a child's death. The current system exists only through workers goodwill and commitment performing work over and above what is reasonable and safe.

To redress this situation as a matter of urgency the Union and its members demand the following:

Consistent bi-partisan policies together with adequate funding at state and federal levels of government to support child protection systems and statutory organisations.

Safe caseload limits for child protection workers across Australia to protect workers and children and to meet professional standards.

Sufficient child protection workers and support workers so that all children have the quality protection and attention they need, and that all Governments meet their statutory responsibilities to protect and care for children.

Governments must address the systemic crisis in workloads leading to excessive, unsafe and unreasonable hours worked in child protection. All workers must only be required to work safe and reasonable hours.

A safe workplace free from violence, stress, psychological injury, bullying and intimidation. It is the employers' responsibility at law to provide a safe workplace for all workers. Workers must not be required to work alone in dangerous situations.

Job security for existing employees , that all vacancies be filled expeditiously and that staffing in child protection areas be permanent. That temporary or contract staff not be employed except in agreed circumstances.

That detailed information be collected on staff turnover and the reasons for child protection workers leaving government employment. We demand a commitment from Governments to develop and implement strategies with the Union to combat staff turnover to retain skilled and experienced workers.

That Governments recognise and address the unique and challenging circumstances of staff working in rural and remote communities including staff retention, after hours crisis work, access to resources, communication difficulties, lack of support services and the problems associated with working in isolated communities.

Workers must be provided with appropriate and accessible training and professional development.

Lack of alternative accommodation for children at risk is an additional stressor for workers. Governments must adequately resource and provide safe and appropriate placements for children at risk.

The implementation of these demands is done in active consultation and agreement with the Union.

END

© 2001 Community & Public Sector Union - State Public Services Federation (CPSU-SPSF) - National Office

http://www.cpsu-spsf.asn.au/latest_news/child_protection/20021112_protect.html
Last Modified: 15 Nov 2005