Families SA has introduced OPS 3 Care and Protection Workers to Social Work teams, to help in dealing with the ongoing difficulties in recruiting and retaining Social Workers.

The PSA has raised concerns over this, and in particular the potential for the blurring of professional and OPS roles. There have been a number of meetings involving PSA and the Department for Families & Communities, and detailed correspondence on the issues.

DFC has made the arrangements quite clear. The process will continue under the following arrangements:

• The positions are only to be used when avenues to recruit social workers in country regional offices have been exhausted;

• DFC's preference is that those recruited to the OPS 3 role will be studying social work;

• DFC would actively support the completion of that qualification with the goal of ongoing employment as a PO once qualified;

• The PSA will be consulted if any changes to the current arrangements are proposed.

Members have advised the PSA that, in discussions regarding the boundary realignment process, the usage of OPS3 Care and Protection Workers has been discussed. Members are reminded of DFC's commitments set out above, and the recognition that the OPS 3 positions are not Social Worker positions and have a quite clear role in social work teams. PSA continues to have concerns over the different roles of team positions, of difficulties associated with pursuing studies in country areas and the need to ensure that positions, be they OPS or PO, are appropriately classified.

Any queries or comments on the above should be directed to PSA Industrial Officer Vanessa Ravenhill on 8205 3251 or vr@cpsu.asn.au