Every Child Deserves a Home

The PSA is campaigning strongly to encourage the new state governemnt to fix the crisis in Child Protection and in doing so, protect and improve the wellbeing of both children in state care and the dedicated staff who care for them. 

If you're a child protection worker in the public sector, the time to join the PSA is now. Apart from getting the support you need to be protected from unreasonable workloads and health and safety risks, your membership will contribute to our ability to influence the government.

Find out more about all the benefits of PSA membership here.

South Australia's Child Protection system is in crisis.

The Department for Child Protection, under former Minister Rachel Sanderson's watch, failed to recruit adequate staff to ensure Residential Care houses are properly staffed.

As a result, children aren't getting the care they need and deserve, and staff are being forced to work excessive overtime, putting their wellbeing at risk.

The 2016 Nyland Royal Commission made a number of critical recommendations which, if implemented by the recently elected Labor government, would help ensure every child has a home that is safe, stable and with consistent care and support – giving them every opportunity to thrive. 

Recommendation 150, if implemented, would go a long way toward fixing the child protection crisis:

A) cease using commercial carers in residential care facilities;

B) develop a casual list to provide staff who are available on a flexible basis; and

C) abandon single-handed shifts

What are we seeking?

PSA members and concerned members of the South Australian community are calling for the following actions from the new Labor government:

1. Implementation of the Nyland Royal Commission recommendation 150c to “recruit a sufficient complement of staff to abandon single-handed shifts” in Residential Care and commit to properly funding the increase in staffing required to achieve this.

2. Reinstatement and expansion of all child protection early intervention programs cut, privatised or outsourced under the previous state government.

3. A strong commitment and actions to ensure workers in Child Protection have the highest level of Work Health and Safety.