Families SA workers fear new Child Protection Department will struggle to recruit enough staff
FAMILIES SA workers say the Nyland Royal Commission has “given voice” to concerns they have raised for years but fear the new Child Protection Department will struggle to recruit enough staff.
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FAMILIES SA workers say the Nyland Royal Commission has “given voice” to concerns they have been raising for years but fear the new Child Protection Department will struggle to recruit enough staff and foster carers.
Margaret Nyland’s report, made public on Monday, describes a child protection system in “disarray” and in desperate need of more staff and funding.
A long-time Families SA worker who contacted The Advertiser on Tuesday said many workers were “exhausted” and unable to respond even to some of the most serious cases.
However, they were relieved to see their long-held concerns reflected in a report the State Government cannot ignore.
“The workers are so relieved about the Royal Commission findings because none of this is news to us,” she said. “At last we have a voice and that voice is Commissioner Nyland. “We’ve been trying to speak up and we’ve just been ignored.
“The frontline workers out there, they know what’s going on but we’ve got people who are leaving because they’re just exhausted. The system needs a complete overhaul.”
The Nyland report notes that the Families SA Elizabeth office had a 40 per cent staff turnover rate between May, 2014, and January, 2015.
The worker who spoke to The Advertiser said Families SA staff particularly welcomed the recommendations to appoint a Commissioner for Children and Young People and stop paid emergency carers working alone with children.
However, she said that would require a significant boost to staffing levels and questioned whether the agency could recruit enough new, qualified workers.
The Public Service Association, which represents social workers, says the Nyland report “has clearly vindicated” the union’s concerns that the child protection system “is in disarray”.
“The continual refusal of Families SA executive to listen to its workforce and the disrespecting of their views has been highlighted by the Royal Commissioner’s report,” PSA general secretary Nev Kitchin said. “The creation of a new department and a new chief executive needs to address this culture.”
Premier Jay Weatherill on Tuesday conceded it would be a “challenge” to recruit the staff and foster carers needed to make Ms Nyland's reform proposals a reality.
However, he rejected criticism that he should resign, instead insisting he was “determined to lead” the process of change.
“We must create a culture where it (Families SA) is seen as an employer of choice, rather than an awful place to work,” Mr Weatherill said. “We still have thousands of workers coming to work every day doing the best they can to protect children.’’