Pressure is on to keep social workers in Tasmania

The state government is facing pressure to provide cash incentives to attract social workers to Tasmania, as a recruitment and retention crisis in the sector places hundreds of children at risk, the union says. DETAILS >

CPSU General Secretary Thirza White at Parliament lawns Hobart. Picture: Chris Kidd

The state government is facing pressure to provide cash incentives to attract social workers to Tasmania to help children at risk.

The Sunday Tasmanian last week revealed UTAS social work graduates were the highest income earners behind dentists and doctors.

Community and Public Sector Union secretary Thirza White said social workers were in high demand and were critical in schools, child safety and youth justice.

She said a recruitment and retention crisis in child safety was “putting hundreds of children at risk”.

“Unless we have competitive wages, improved support for exposure to vicarious trauma and incentives to attract and retain allied health professionals we will continue to struggle to fill the growing number of vacancies.

CPSU Tasmania general secretary Thirza White.

“The cash incentives now available to allied health professional graduates must be extended to allied health professionals in schools, child safety and youth justice, otherwise the crisis we are facing will deepen.

“Without this extension and support we will struggle to attract the professionals we need to continue to deliver critical services to some of the most vulnerable Tasmanians.”

Ms White said the pandemic had worsened mental health challenges facing young Tasmanians.

“The problems they face are complex and without early intervention we are simply adding pressure to our overburdened mental health system.

“CPSU members report that current under resourcing means they only have time to support those at the highest risk of neglect, abuse or self-harm.

“School social workers are best placed to provide this support.”

Ms White said the government had refused to extend the graduate support to social workers in child safety.

“Social workers go elsewhere, interstate, to the private system, which leaves young people without help and support, and the few workers who are left are overloaded with too many cases to respond to.”

A government spokesperson said the government recognised the critical role of allied health professionals in meeting the needs of some of the most vulnerable members of our community.

“Child Safety is better resourced than ever before and intensive recruitment activity in recent months has resulted in the appointment of new staff members to all regions,” he said.

“We will continue to negotiate with unions in good faith to ensure that the workforce has the appropriate structures in place to support the vital work they do.”

He said the government had invested additional resources in recognition of the high demand for professional support staff across our schools, including having a permanent relief pool and extra funding for 16 psychologists and 8 social workers.