Thursday 29 August 2024
Wheatbelt Child Protection and Family Support members of the Community and Public Sector Union/Civil Service Association (CPSU/CSA) are this morning closing their offices in Narrogin, Northam, Merredin and Moora as part of the continued rolling action in the sector to call on the Cook Government to decisively intervene to stop system collapse.
Emergency protocols will be in place at locked offices to ensure access can be provided in emergency situations.
The four offices in the Wheatbelt will join weeks of action already undertaken in the CPFS Albany, Armadale, Cannington, Binjarb (Peel) and South West offices, now accounting for around one-third of Western Australia’s Child Protection Districts. Child Protection in Western Australia is crying out for urgent intervention from Premier Cook to properly resource the sector, to ensure every child has an allocated caseworker so that no vulnerable children or families are left behind.
CPSU/CSA Acting Branch Secretary, Melanie Bray, said with National Child Protection Week next week, the Cook Government has the perfect opportunity to act, and reset the chronically underesourced Department and deliver world-class social work and support services for some of Western Australia’s most vulnerable children and families.
“Here we are again, for the fourth time in as many weeks, and yet still no sense of urgency or alarm from the Department. Where’s the concern for vulnerable children and families? Where’s the urgency in ensuring the 1264 open child protection cases get an individual caseworker? The need for a dedicated caseworker to work through the individual and complex needs of 1264 children, their trauma and achieve the best outcomes for their families?
“Right here in the Wheatbelt, there are over 60 unique children and families without a dedicated caseworker. Only 22.1% of Child Safety Investigations are being completed within the 30-day benchmark, with an average completion time over the past year of 86 days. In a jurisdiction with the best finances in the country, this is simply unacceptable.
“Our members ask is simple: Listen to them. They are experts in their field, they know what Child Protection and Family Support needs in Western Australia. The Government needs only listen.”
ENDS
Notes
- Members at the four Wheatbelt offices will close their offices, gathering at Pursloe Park in Northam for 10am, and then march up Fitzgerald Stree. Members will then hold a morning tea in the office & then return to work.
- CPSU/CSA A/ Coordinator, Communications and Engagement, Alex Wallace, will be available to take questions on notice for A/ Branch Secretary, Melanie Bray, who will provide written answers to journalists by 1:00pm.
- The CPSU/CSA covers 44,000 general public sector workers, one-quarter of the WA public sector, including child protection officers, youth custodial officers, park rangers, veterinary scientists and dental technicians.
- Note: Please ensure the full acronym, “CPSU/CSA” when mentioning us. “CPSU” is typically used to refer to the Union that covers Commonwealth, ACT and NT public sector workers. We are related but separate unions.
For more information or to arrange further comment from Acting Branch Secretary Melanie Bray, please contact CPSU/CSA Reception on 08 9323 3800 and ask for the Media and Stakeholder Engagement Officer.
