The Marshall Liberal Government is investigating making residential care staff work 12-hour shifts, without breaks or penalty rates.
The Department of Child Protection has consulted with residential care workers over several months and received 159 submissions on proposed rostering changes.
While some roster management measures were accepted by staff, workers sent a clear message they would not stand for working 12 hours in a row, without a proper break and no penalty rates.
In a letter the Executive Director of Out of Home Care stated 12-hour shifts would “not proceed in the short term,” but went on to say a “working group” would be established to examine the measure.
Under questioning in Question Time, Child Protection Minister Rachel Sanderson refused to rule out introducing 12-hour shifts stating:
“we will continue to improve our efficiencies ... everything is on the table, any efficiency...”
Quotes attributable to Shadow Minister for Child Protection Jayne Stinson
The Marshall Liberal Government must rule out implementing 12-hour shifts – especially 12 hours shifts without a proper break and no penalty rates.
This work is hard enough already. Introducing extremely long shifts will mean exhausted staff, poorer quality work, more workplace injuries, more staff absences and a greater staff attrition rate.
Investigations into SA’s child protection system have repeatedly found we need to treat people who care for the most vulnerable children in our state better - not worse.
The Marshall Liberal Government’s determination to slash budgets should not come at the cost of hardworking carers or the children that so desperately need their care.