$77.2 MILLION BOOST TO CHILD PROTECTION

An additional 200 workers and the introduction of a specialist child protection intervention team are features of a $77.2 million Brumby Labor Government boost to the child protection workforce announced on Friday 18 September 2009, to help keep Victoria’s most vulnerable children safe.

 The announcement follows the release of the Ombudsman’s annual report, which flagged a number of concerns about the child protection system.

 

“This has created workforce pressures including recruitment and retention that have impacted on the time available to devote to each case and the quality and capacity of decision making. 

 

The four-year $77.2 million boost includes:

•          101 new frontline, professional child protection workers, targeted at areas experiencing high demand, reducing pressure on the current workforce and reducing the number of cases without a full-time worker.

•          A Specialist Intervention Team to tackle child protection trouble spots will be fully staffed by February 2010. The team of 15 senior child protection practitioners based in Melbourne, will be deployed to child protection trouble spots to mentor staff, provide guidance on decision making and assist in resolving blockages and backlogs in cases;

•          Over 70 new staff across child protection and the non-government sector to provide assistance and supervision to children already safely placed with their extended family;

•          New $2.8 million recruitment and quality training campaign to recruit the right people with the right expertise to Victoria’s child protection system. The recruitment campaign, beginning shortly, will target other areas of Australia and New Zealand;

•          Additional training for child protection workers to assist in decision making in dealing with sexual offenders and best practice interventions with infants; and

 

In addition to the $77.2 million boost, the Brumby Labor Government will immediately recruit new case aid workers to support the current child protection workforce. Case aid workers will carry out support tasks such as transporting clients and supervising access visits. 

 

For further information see Media Release:

 $77.2 MILLION BOOST TO CHILD PROTECTION - Premier of Victoria, Australia