Vulnerable kids put at risk after Family and Community Services system glitches
THE lives of vulnerable children have been potentially put at risk by major computer glitches in a new IT system at the offices of a NSW department. One minister has demanded the problem is fixed and has also ordered an independent review.
NSW
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THE lives of 1600 vulnerable children have been potentially put at risk by major computer glitches in a new IT system at the offices of Family and Community Services.
The problems have resulted in at-risk children missing out on crucial face-to-face assessments by welfare officers.
The shocking revelation has infuriated FACS Minister Pru Goward, who has read the Riot Act to her department and demanded the problem is fixed.
She has also ordered an independent review of the 1600-strong drop in the number of face-to-face assessments of children flagged as being in serious danger in the past year.
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The children were among thousands brought to the department’s attention and classified as being at risk of significant harm.
In 2016-17 frontline staff assessed 27,793 of these children on a face-to-face basis but this fell to 26,196 in 2017/18.
“I am deeply disappointed by this and have asked the Secretary to undertake a review of the reduction in the number of children seen in 2017/2018. I expect it to be completed and available to me by Christmas,” Ms Goward said.
About 32 per cent of these at-risk children are currently being adequately assessed.
Since being elected in 2011 the Berejiklian Government has doubled the number of children receiving face-to-face assessments from caseworkers. This is the first drop in the number of assessments.
The setback has been blamed on significant teething problems with the rollout of a new IT system, ChildStory, which compromised data and resulted in other bungles that cut into time and ability of staff to assess children.
Ms Goward said FACS had advised the situation was “back on track” with caseworkers seeing more than 15,000 at-risk children in the six months to September 2018.
“I have heard first-hand the frustrations of caseworkers and of the PSA about the rollout of ChildStory, and have told the department this is clearly unacceptable. The executive must continue to fix any issues our frontline workers are facing, to ensure a first class system,” she said.
The internal report will be conducted by an external agency and made public.
The data also shows the government has achieved a record low job vacancy rate for caseworkers which has dropped to a yearly average of just 3 per cent from 13 per cent in 2009/2010.
In the June quarter it was just zero per cent.
Ms Goward said she was proud of this “wonderful achievement” and FACS had worked hard to “recruit and retain wonderful frontline staff”.