More than 20 SA Department for Child Protection employees stood down

More than two dozen employees at South Australia's Department for Child Protection have been stood down over an eight-month period, according to documents obtained through Freedom of Information (FOI) requests. The figures, covering July 1 last year to the end of February this year, also revealed that 12 open investigations were underway into staff concerning quality of care issues.

“

Performance, misconduct, medical incapacity and loss of an essential qualification, are all separate reasons for a staff member to be directed away from work

A 'care concern,' or quality of care report, is initiated when there is a reasonable suspicion that a young person in care has been harmed or is at risk of harm. The Department for Child Protection employs approximately 2,600 staff members. Child Protection Minister Alice Rolls clarified that employees might be directed away from their duties for a range of reasons, including performance issues, misconduct, medical incapacity, or the loss of essential qualifications like a Working With Children Check or a driver's license.

During the same period, two employees were terminated for misconduct, and two others were dismissed after losing necessary qualifications. Opposition child protection spokesperson Laura Henderson described the findings as 'gobsmacking,' emphasizing that even one employee flagged is too many when dealing with vulnerable children and families. She argued that these figures should raise significant alarm bells across South Australia.

“

One employee being flagged is one employee too many when you are dealing with children and vulnerable families, like the Department for Child Protection employees are. To have figures as high as we are seeing should be ringing alarm bells in every single South Australian household.

Former SA Commissioner for Aboriginal Children and Young People April Lawrie noted that misconduct by a child protection worker could have a widespread impact on multiple families. Henderson further stated that the number of workers stood down reinforces the urgent need for a state-based social worker registration scheme, which the government recently scrapped. Minister Rolls, however, assured that the safety and well-being of children remain the department's top priority, and all allegations of misconduct are taken seriously and responded to accordingly.

“

They may be individual practitioners, but how many children are we talking about?