Working on the frontline of Queensland’s child safety system, Nicole* remembers finishing some shifts by fetching her bag, climbing into her car, and dialing the number for Lifeline.
As a seasoned social worker, she thought she had a good grip on the complexities of life.
But then she began working in one of south-east Queensland’s most stretched child safety service centres.
“It was complete chaos,” said the former child safety officer, who left the department several years ago.
“People were damaged.”
“There was no time [for debriefs so] I would call Lifeline on the commute home.”
The ABC has spoken to more than half a dozen past and current child safety officers about their experiences in the embattled sector — as well as young adults raised in care.
Together, they paint a picture of a department plagued by high pressures and workloads, staff turnover, inexperienced officers and persisting concerns over training and pay.
Read more here: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-07-06/kinship-and-foster-care-queensland-frontline-matters-of-state/12423918
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