Minister puts out call for more child protection staff
Published Friday, 20 October, 2006 at 09:55 AM
Minister for Child Safety
The Honourable Desley Boyle
Far Northerners are being encouraged to seriously consider a career in child protection.
Child Safety Minister and Member for Cairns Desley Boyle said three positions in the new Child Safety Department would be advertised on Saturday and another four would be advertised soon.
The three jobs to be advertised in Saturday’s Cairns Post are based in Cairns and are for:
• Co-ordinator of Out-of-home Care (up to $68,000);
• Placement Co-ordinator (up to $77,000) and;
• Administration Officer for the Cape Torres Suspected Child Abuse Neglect Team (up to $45,000).
Applications for two positions at Atherton for Child Safety Support Officers, including one Indigenous position (up to $45,000) close on Monday.
Another two positions for Child Safety Officers (up to $60,000) based at Atherton are expected to be advertised in November.
The Department will also be advertising two positions for Family Group Meeting Convenors in the Far Northern Zone (up to $61,000) later this year.
“The new Department of Child Safety has increased staff by more than 75 per cent to 2170 people since 2004,” Ms Boyle said.
“The ongoing recruitment is part of our plan to boost staff and better protect Queensland children.”
Ms Boyle said there were about 6000 children in care in Queensland, including about 460 in the Far North, with just over half of those (260) Indigenous children.
“It would be terrific have more Indigenous people working with us,” Ms Boyle said.
“There is a misperception that we only want social workers, but that’s not true. Other human services qualifications such as psychology or human services and even some justice degrees are very helpful.
“We also want people working with us with experience in other human services jobs, for example we have an ex-police prosecutor on staff and a former nurse.”
For the positions mentioned, degrees are required for Child Safety Officers and the Co-ordinator of Out-of-home Care.
Ms Boyle said the new Department of Child Safety had come a long way since the 2004 Crime and Misconduct Commission inquiry.
“We have implemented 103 of the CMC’s 110 recommendations and the final seven are on track,” she said.
“We have more than doubled the Budget, increased staff by more than 75 per cent and have better systems in place.”
For information about working for the Department of Child Safety, see the employment section of Saturday’s Cairns Post or Courier Mail, the Weekend Australian or the Koori Mail or go to http://jobs.govnet.qld.gov.au/ and search for jobs under the Department of Child Safety.
Ends
Media contact: 3224 7477
Child Safety Minister and Member for Cairns Desley Boyle said three positions in the new Child Safety Department would be advertised on Saturday and another four would be advertised soon.
The three jobs to be advertised in Saturday’s Cairns Post are based in Cairns and are for:
• Co-ordinator of Out-of-home Care (up to $68,000);
• Placement Co-ordinator (up to $77,000) and;
• Administration Officer for the Cape Torres Suspected Child Abuse Neglect Team (up to $45,000).
Applications for two positions at Atherton for Child Safety Support Officers, including one Indigenous position (up to $45,000) close on Monday.
Another two positions for Child Safety Officers (up to $60,000) based at Atherton are expected to be advertised in November.
The Department will also be advertising two positions for Family Group Meeting Convenors in the Far Northern Zone (up to $61,000) later this year.
“The new Department of Child Safety has increased staff by more than 75 per cent to 2170 people since 2004,” Ms Boyle said.
“The ongoing recruitment is part of our plan to boost staff and better protect Queensland children.”
Ms Boyle said there were about 6000 children in care in Queensland, including about 460 in the Far North, with just over half of those (260) Indigenous children.
“It would be terrific have more Indigenous people working with us,” Ms Boyle said.
“There is a misperception that we only want social workers, but that’s not true. Other human services qualifications such as psychology or human services and even some justice degrees are very helpful.
“We also want people working with us with experience in other human services jobs, for example we have an ex-police prosecutor on staff and a former nurse.”
For the positions mentioned, degrees are required for Child Safety Officers and the Co-ordinator of Out-of-home Care.
Ms Boyle said the new Department of Child Safety had come a long way since the 2004 Crime and Misconduct Commission inquiry.
“We have implemented 103 of the CMC’s 110 recommendations and the final seven are on track,” she said.
“We have more than doubled the Budget, increased staff by more than 75 per cent and have better systems in place.”
For information about working for the Department of Child Safety, see the employment section of Saturday’s Cairns Post or Courier Mail, the Weekend Australian or the Koori Mail or go to http://jobs.govnet.qld.gov.au/ and search for jobs under the Department of Child Safety.
Ends
Media contact: 3224 7477