Dr David Clark is the Labour candidate for Dunedin North
My previous posts about the cuts to frontline child protection services in Dunedin have attracted a response. Unfortunately the response is clearly the work of CYF’s spindoctors.
I am saddened to see CYF dodge questions regarding front line job-cuts in Dunedin. The CYF spokesperson describes Otago and Southland as having “more social workers per caseload” than other areas, and talks about deciding whether vacated positions will be filled – according to workload in the region.
This is classic doublespeak. As positions are vacated in Otago and Southland, they are not being replaced; a straight shooter would call this job-cuts. Frontline positions are being axed. Vulnerable children are at risk.
Tragically, need for CYF services is in high demand. Our stagnant economy has put increased pressure on Dunedin families. Can CYF confirm they have as many front line staff in Dunedin now as they had a year ago? Or better still, provide credible evidence that our most vulnerable children are no longer at risk? Of course they can’t. This makes me angry. Under National’s direction, CYF are spending money on spindoctors. That money should be spent on staff at the coal-face.
No post on this, probably as the Nact supporters and bloggers club cant spin this another way or turn it back on Labour.
Man that’s depressing
Poor Dunedin 
Do you know if frontline positions are being cut overall, or being moved from one region to another?
“Otago and Southland as having “more social workers per caseload” than other areas” which may mean they are the closest in the whole country to having adequate resourcing. Ergo they are just “underfunded” rather than severely underfunded.
Agreed Tracey
@pete g… you know as well as i do the logistical nightmare forcing people to move to other parts of the country to work is.. expensive as well, unless this govt are stooping to forcing cyf workers to meet their own moving costs as well as the dislocation caused by being forced to leave family and friends behind..
in other words, it’s just not practical when there are more than enough qualified people around the country who could do those jobs in the areas required…assuming the govt was actually trying to keep services running at a level that makes any headway whatsoever, which we know they aren’t.
so what was the rationale behind your question again?
This is happening all over the country not just in Otago Southland. Caseloads for social workers are far too high and cutting social worker positions is just pushing caseload numbers up even higher. This leads to unsafe practice. PSA have pushed for many years to have a ceiling on CYF social worker caseloads. This happens in Britain with a ceiling of approximately 10 cases per social worker. In New Zealand CYF social worker can be holding up to 50 cases on their caseload. This makes any real changes for children and families very difficult to achieve, hence the high number of re-notifications.