Riverina's most vulnerable at risk of serious harm, caseworkers cry

Caseworkers from Wagga joined a statewide protest on May 8 by gathering out the front of the Community Services Centre at lunchtime.

"The most vulnerable children in the Riverina are at risk of serious harm, or even worse, because child protection caseworkers are chronically understaffed and exhausted," Public Service Association of NSW general secretary Stewart Little said.

Last year, there were 15,950 children and young people reported as at risk of serious harm (ROSH) in the Far West, Murrumbidgee and Western NSW districts, according to the NSW Department of Communities and Justice (DCJ).

Of these reports, only 22 per cent were seen by a caseworker - 12,418 cases were not.

This rate is indicative of a statewide caseworker shortage.

Caseworkers at the statewide protests were calling for the state government to recruit an additional 500 caseworkers, give an "immediate and substantial" pay rise, and deprivatise foster care.

"To be fair the current NSW government didn't create this mess but it's up to them to fix it," Mr Little said.

"Chris Minns needs to immediately onboard another 500 child protection caseworkers to address the attraction and retention crisis in child protection, otherwise the system will collapse.

He also said that Riverina child protection caseworkers "feel they have to do something as management just aren't listening to their concerns".

Workers 'terrified'

Wagga child protection caseworkers are terrified to take action, according to Tom Hooper, a former caseworker and now PSA regional organiser.

"The work environment is very vindictive and people are absolutely terrified that they're going to get repercussions if they take action," Mr Hooper said.

"When I first joined community services, it was an attractive place to work because of the salary and conditions, and you were treated with respect."

According to PSA, one in two child protection caseworkers leave the department within their first two years.

"We need to give the caseworkers an immediate and substantial pay rise to try and retain them and recruit them," Mr Hooper said.

In response to the protests, the minister for families and communities Kate Washington told The Daily Advertiser that the state government is "embarking on significant structural reform" to the child protection system.

"Talks with the PSA are ongoing and we will continue to negotiate with case workers in good faith, as they do one of the most important jobs - caring for the state's most vulnerable children," the minister said.

"The NSW Labor Government is embarking on significant structural reform to fix the broken child protection system that we inherited.

"A critical element of our reform will involve the attraction and retention of caseworkers."

According to the department, every ROSH report is reviewed, and not all ROSH reports are best supported by an in-person assessment.

However, the department also recognised a caseworker shortage across the state is indicated by the current ROSH report rates.

In July 2023, the PSA agreed to a 4 per cent salary increase for public sector employees and the removal of the wage cap by the Minns government.