There's a call for the Minister for Family and Community Services to fill a large number of vacant child case worker positions in the Hunter.
Recent figures show a 60 per cent increase in the number of vacant caseworker positions, and 68 per cent of children reported to Family and Community Services were not receiving a face to face assessment.
Wallsend MP Sonia Hornery is leading the charge, saying too many vulnerable children are being ignored after $180 million was cut and 110 full-time positions were taken away in 2014."I understand that in the Hunter there are about 20 vacancies, which is about 8 per cent of the workforce, so 20 vacancies in the Hunter is a huge amount and it's basically fundamentally about cost cutting so we desperately need all of those case worker positions to be filled," said Sonia Hornery.
Family and Community Services has responded to claims the Hunter is struggling with a lack of caseworkers.
In a statement the service said:
More children than ever before who are at risk of significant harm (ROSH) receive a face-to-face assessment from a FACS caseworker. Caseworkers now see one in three children at ROSH compared to one in five children just six years ago. In some districts, FACS staff are managing to see one in two children.
Caseworker recruitment is on-going with a focus on educating the community and prospective caseworkers about the role and the important work caseworkers do in the community.
In a statement the service said:
More children than ever before who are at risk of significant harm (ROSH) receive a face-to-face assessment from a FACS caseworker. Caseworkers now see one in three children at ROSH compared to one in five children just six years ago. In some districts, FACS staff are managing to see one in two children.
Caseworker recruitment is on-going with a focus on educating the community and prospective caseworkers about the role and the important work caseworkers do in the community.
