Community Services

Community Services performs among the most crucial of NSW public services, protecting the State's most vulnerable children and young people. As such, our members employed in Community Services deserve the highest levels of industrial support from their Union.

Achievements:

Additional PSA industrial and organising staff committed to Community Services. This is evidenced by increases in information to members by way of Bulletins, increase in matters taken to the Industrial Relations Commission on behalf of Community Services Members.
Greater support for the Community Services Departmental Committee.
Introduced the “Safe Hands Campaign” which highlighted the important role played by Community Services Staff in the Community.
Highlighted the work of Community Services staff in public advertising and lobbying during the State Election Campaign via the PSA-wide “Save the State” Campaign.
Worked with members to support local workplace action across the State through lunchtime walkouts to raise awareness about the impact of ChildStory on caseworkers after it was implemented without being fit for purpose.
Gained extra resources, improved training and enhancements to the ChildStory data-base system and an ongoing consultative process.
Developed working relationships with the Minister and Opposition Shadow for Community Services.
Advocated that the Department must do more for caseworkers experiencing secondary and vicarious trauma which led to the Wellbeing Strategy.
Establishment of Working Party to review and update the Workload Planner
Improved inherent requirements for caseworkers
Conversion of caseworkers and agreement from DCJ that long term temporaries who are converted do not need to be placed on probation for another 12 months.
Assisted members to access entitlements under the Award after the employer initially denied the entitlement – this ranges from travel allowances to part-time work and transition to retirement plans.
Held the Department to account that it must abide by its obligations to enter into genuine and meaningful consultation about matters of mutual interest and concern.
Raised awareness about the Department’s legislative obligations to ensure a safe workplace.
Attended meetings of the Accommodation Working Group to argue the case for office fitouts which comply with WHS obligations.
Imposed bans when DCJ attempted to introduce timed toilet breaks at the Helpline

The Rank and File team commit to:

Opposing any further cuts in child protection services and any move towards more privatisation
Working with delegates to expand the Wellbeing Strategy so that DCJ takes responsibility for staff experiencing secondary and vicarious trauma as a result of the challenging work they do.
Fighting to reverse efficiency dividends being imposed on child protection services.
Seek recognition by the State Government and the Department that caseworkers are first responders.
Work with Aboriginal caseworkers to advocate for improved services, training and development opportunities.
Advocate for better incentives for staff to work in rural and remote areas.
Continue to promote Departmental obligations in regard to flextime and flexible working
Push for an immediate moratorium and public inquiry into the privatisation of Out of Home Care (OOHC) that has been occurring since 2009
Lead a political, community and industrial campaign to highlight the Government's failure to adequately resource Community Services
Develop strong public campaigns that highlight the chaos, unrelenting corporate change and insurmountable barriers that are preventing the delivery of quality child protection services to the vulnerable children and young people of NSW
Provide adequate industrial resources in the area, including industrial staff assigned to and charged with responsibility for the Community Services portfolio
Ensure the District Organiser role to one that is member focused to ensure that Community Services delegates and members are appropriately supported