DOCS workers have detailed a catalogue of failures that have left at-risk children in unsafe families and put staff in danger, as officers struggle with crippling vacancies in a department top-heavy with managers and with a dysfunctional records system.
On the eve of the State Government's special commission of inquiry into child protection services, prompted by the death of seven-year-old Shellay Ward, frustrated staff have spoken to the Herald about reports of abuse that are never investigated and children in care who never see a case worker.
Long silenced by government restrictions on speaking to the media, these Department of Community Services workers say it is time for their views to be heard. They believe it is the only way to ensure that the Wood Special Commission of Inquiry into Child Protection Services, due to begin public forums this week, will succeed in undoing the years of neglect and bad policies that have led to the crisis.
The workers who told their stories did so on condition of anonymity, fearful for their jobs and mindful of the impact their actions may have on clients. Many more were unwilling to speak, while others withdrew after legal advice.
One child protection worker, Richard*, said staff were overwhelmed by the amount of work. "In the end that means we can only deal with the worst of the worst cases, and they are the most difficult cases," he said.
"There was a time when you could get to matters before they got to a real crisis point, but we are now being pushed to the very pointy end of child protection."
Wayne, who manages case workers, said there was a world of difference between what the department was telling the public, and what the frontline workers were experiencing.
Much of the problem stemmed from the enormous number of staff vacancies. As a result, "many children in the department's care … very rarely get to see their case worker - it is not unusual to hear that they only see them once a year, sometimes less," Wayne said.
"Many of those unallocated cases are serious allegations of children being physically, mentally or sexually harmed."
Another worker, William, said that despite the $1.2 billion in enhanced funding for the department, "at the field level, at the coalface level, nothing has changed for the case worker, and that is very disappointing".
"There is a political time bomb ticking here - there is a large gap between those that can be helped with early intervention and the crisis end of the system."
DOCS workers have detailed a catalogue of failures that have left at-risk children in unsafe families and put staff in danger, as officers struggle with crippling vacancies in a department top-heavy with managers and with a dysfunctional records system.
On the eve of the State Government's special commission of inquiry into child protection services, prompted by the death of seven-year-old Shellay Ward, frustrated staff have spoken to the Herald about reports of abuse that are never investigated and children in care who never see a case worker.
Long silenced by government restrictions on speaking to the media, these Department of Community Services workers say it is time for their views to be heard. They believe it is the only way to ensure that the Wood Special Commission of Inquiry into Child Protection Services, due to begin public forums this week, will succeed in undoing the years of neglect and bad policies that have led to the crisis.
The workers who told their stories did so on condition of anonymity, fearful for their jobs and mindful of the impact their actions may have on clients. Many more were unwilling to speak, while others withdrew after legal advice.
One child protection worker, Richard*, said staff were overwhelmed by the amount of work. "In the end that means we can only deal with the worst of the worst cases, and they are the most difficult cases," he said.
"There was a time when you could get to matters before they got to a real crisis point, but we are now being pushed to the very pointy end of child protection."
Wayne, who manages case workers, said there was a world of difference between what the department was telling the public, and what the frontline workers were experiencing.
Much of the problem stemmed from the enormous number of staff vacancies. As a result, "many children in the department's care … very rarely get to see their case worker - it is not unusual to hear that they only see them once a year, sometimes less," Wayne said.
"Many of those unallocated cases are serious allegations of children being physically, mentally or sexually harmed."
Another worker, William, said that despite the $1.2 billion in enhanced funding for the department, "at the field level, at the coalface level, nothing has changed for the case worker, and that is very disappointing".
"There is a political time bomb ticking here - there is a large gap between those that can be helped with early intervention and the crisis end of the system."
Related:
On the front line of tragedy
Day after day DOCS staff battle fear and violence to save children on the edge of the abyss. It's never enough, writes Ruth Pollard. Staff call it the Department of Damned If You Do and Damned If You Don't. They paint a picture of a reality far removed from the hysterical media coverage and tit-for-tat politics of child protection. They have a long list of solutions and - after more than a decade of neglect, underfunding and staff shortages - a short supply of patience. And yet, amid it all, they have hope.
In their own words: Case workers speak out
I can cite hundreds of examples of matters not being assessed … allegations not addressed until weeks or months after the report,' one worker says. 'At times [I have had] no face-to-face contact with any clients for three to four weeks due to demands of court work.' One case worker says there are more than 50 'unallocated cases that don't have any interventions other than annual reviews. No manager available for approval of financial assistance or advice, no cars for transporting, no access to transport workers.' Some areas report having every position in a team vacant. The large numbers of vacancies are heightened by 'excessive delays in the recruitment process. At times there are more vacancies in child protection than [there are] filled positions.''I thought I could make a difference; that hope is not yet gone, but almost.''[We are] unable to allocate complex casework due to a lack of resources and unable to respond to early reports of families in need.'
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