More than 200 children whose welfare is meant to be being monitored by WA child protection services are still waiting for their “safety investigations” to be completed.

“Child RM” is not the first young person failed by our child protection system. WA child protection workers tell me she won’t be the last.

Child protection workers in WA are being forced to juggle the cases of 40 different kids in care at any given time, with the Department of Communities accused of using “creative accounting” in an attempt to mask the actual figures.

In yesterday’s West Australian Treasurer Wyatt said he is considering a pay freeze for public sector workers and may even take back the $1000 pay rise already secured for June next year. The Treasurer says public sector workers need to ‘share the pain’ caused by Coronavirus. The Treasurer's restrictive wages proposal devalues public sector workers and his comments are disappointing to members across the State.

WA child protection staff have been asked if they would be willing to take kids in care home with them as the department prepares for a crisis scenario where wards of the state could be left without placements due to COVID-19.

The union representing the state public sector, the CPSU/CSA, calls on the McGowan Government to allow all public sector workers who can, to work from home.