Every Child Deserves Protection
National Child Protection Week 2010 runs this week and is an annual NAPCAN campaign that aims to raise awareness in the community of child abuse prevention. In Victoria, CPSU has launched its own complementary campaign titled Every Child Deserves Protection in an endeavour to have the State Government focus its resources on a solution that the child protection workforce believes will assist.
 

Every Child at risk of child abuse deserves their own Child Protection Worker looking out for them.

- What s the solution?

There s no magic wand that can stop all child abuse overnight, but there are 3 simple things that government can do right now that will make a huge difference, and fix most of the problems in our Child Protection system. Some of them cost nothing, some of them will cost money but will save money into the future, but Victorian Children, and the Child Protection Workers who seek to protect them, are worth it!

1. safe workloads for everyone – caseload limits and workload controls
2. better pay and conditions
3. more staff and resources

Click on http://www.everychild.org.au to express your support.

Don't forget to ‘like our Facebook page.

In Victoria today 2300 children are on the Department's ‘unallocated list, with no caseworker assigned.

Every Child at risk deserves a Child Protection worker with the time to develop a proper plan to protect them, encourage their development, and help their family achieve positive change – not someone with so many cases, they can t give anyone the attention they need.

No wonder dedicated workers are leaving the system in frustration, and no wonder the Victorian Child Death Review Committee 2010 Report lists workloads and resourcing as key factors influencing circumstances in a number of deaths they reviewed.

Every Child Protection Worker deserves to have a fair, safe workload; to be paid fairly; and to have enough colleagues and resources so all children can be protected.

All children at risk of abuse that DHS knows about need to have a fair chance at protection, and Child Protection workers have a fair chance to help give it.

At the moment most Child Protection Workers have more cases than they can cope with, and more cases than is safe for their welfare, and the children they are trying to protect.

These Child Protection workers are currently the lowest paid in Australia, despite the demanding, highly skilled work they are required to perform.

The Victorian system does not have enough workers to meet the basic demands of protecting our children, with 2300 children not assigned to any caseworker; the State of Victoria is not meeting its responsibilities to protect children, or to protect its own workers.

For more info about the campaign and to organise a workplace visit please contact CPSU Organiser Mandy Coulson by e-mail to mcoulson@cpsuvic.org or phone 9639 1822.

Click here to view/print a formatted version for display; http://www.cpsuvic.org/public_docs/OLIVE-LEAF-0609-CP-WEEK-CAMPAIGN.pdf

Please distribute this bulletin and ask your colleagues to join CPSU to have their voice heard and their views represented.

Our 7 day a week, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year industrial protection ensures you have the principal public sector organisation looking after your working rights, winning wage increases, protecting your conditions, and providing personal industrial assistance when you need it.


CPSU MEMBERSHIP IS PROTECTION FOR YOUR MOST IMPORTANT ASSET. YOUR JOB.

Speak to a colleague today about the benefits of CPSU membership and have them contribute to our successes rather than just enjoying the benefits.


CPSU - 125 in 2010.

When 1,000 colonial public servants crammed into the Athenaeum Hall in Collins Street on 17 June 1885 to form the Victorian Public Service Association they had no idea that we d be still here and turning 125 this year.


TOGETHER WE DO BETTER!

http://www.cpsuvic.org/public_docs/Work-Can-Change-membership-flyer.pdf
http://www.cpsuvic.org/public_docs/memform.pdf


KAREN BATT
CPSU Victorian Branch Secretary

Monday, 6 September 2010