Child protection workers to walk off job again: Calls for government to fix issues

Child protection workers are set to strike tomorrow (8 March) in protest over severe understaffing and overworking. The rollover affects of these issues could impact the ability to protect at risk children across the country.

The government has been called upon to intervene and put a stop to the prevalent issues affecting the industry.

The protest is to be held outside Community Services Centres (CSC) across the state, with media being invited to attend Macarthur CSC in Campbelltown on 8 March at 12.30pm. This latest event follows a string of others in recent times with childcare workers fed up with working conditions.

PSA of NSW general secretary, Stewart Little commented on the announcement: “The most vulnerable children in NSW are at risk of serious harm, or even worse, because child protection caseworkers are chronically understaffed and exhausted.”

“Child protection workers are now concerned that by exposing vulnerable children to a broken system they may suffer even more harm. Chris Minns needs to immediately onboard another 500 child protection caseworkers to address the attraction and retention crisis in child protection, otherwise the system will collapse.”

“To be fair the current NSW government didn’t create this mess but it’s up to them to fix it. Child protection caseworkers are passionate about their work, and they want the people of NSW to know no urgent child protection responses will be impacted during their protest, and that skeleton staffing will be maintained at all times during this protest. But they feel they have to do something as management just aren’t listening to their concerns,” said Little.

March and April saw multiple protests take place over similar concerns, with many concerned that the lack of support could result in a lack of support for at risk children across the country. Understaffing levels have become so significant that the closing of community centres has occurred, further adding to the burden.