The#Department#for#Child#Protection#is#the#statutory#authority#responsible#for#the#
care# and# protection# of# (atDrisk)# children# in# Western# Australia.# The# Department#
provides#a#range#of#services#and#forms#of#assistance#both#directly#and#indirectly#for#
the# care# and# protection# of# children.# These# include# the# provision# of# outDofDhome#
care# and# services# and# assistance# for# people# in# crisis,# including# emergency# and#
disaster#responses.#The#Department’s#operations#also#incorporate#specific#services#
for#the#adoption#of#children#and#employment#within#the#children’s#services#sector#
(Department#for#Child#Protection#(DCP)#2012).#
The#Children* and* Community* Services* Act* 2004*(WA)# (Appendix# 5)# provides# the#
overarching# legislative# framework# for# the# Department# and# its# activities.# The# Act#
sets#the#provisions#under#which#the#Department#operates#and#the#parameters#of#
child#protection#practice#in#terms#of#the#responsibilities#of#child#protection#officers.#
The# Act,*which# came# into# effect# on# 1# March# 2006,# was# amended# in# March# 2011.#
The# Department# is# currently# responsible# for# administering# nine# acts# and#
regulations#(DCP#2012).#The#provisions#under#the#Act#guide#the#Department’s#core#
functions# of# providing# care# and# assistance# for# individuals,# children,# families# and#
communities,# including# the# protection# and# care# of# children# (DCP# 2010a;# Ford#
2007).#The#provisions#of#the#Act#relating#to#what#constitutes#the#best#interests#of#
the# child# and# care# and# protection# of# children# provide# the# principles# which# guide#
the#work#of#the#Department#in#its#child#protection#functions.#The#Act#clearly#states#
as# its# guiding# principle# that# the# best# interests# of# a# child# is# the# ‘paramount#
consideration’# in# any# determination# under# the# Act# and# sets# out# how# these# are#
determined#and#the#principles#to#be#observed#in#their#determination#(detailed#in#
Appendix# 5).# The# Department# is# the# state’s# fifth# largest# public# sector# agency# (by#
number#of#employees),#employing#2,446#persons#at#September#2011#(Public#Sector#
Commission#(PSC)#2011a).#Consistent#with#the#gendered#profile#of#child#protection#
across# other# national# and# international# jurisdictions# (as# examined# in# Chapter# 6),#
four#in#five#of#the#Department’s#employees#are#women#(DCP#2012).#While#women#
have# historically# been# overDrepresented# in# the# Department# workforce,# the#
proportion#of#females#increased#slightly#during#the#research#period#(DCP#2012).#
The#Department’s#principal#or#central#office#is#located#in#the#state’s#capital,#Perth.#
In# addition# to# support# provided# through# business# units# located# in# Perth,# the#
Department’s# operations# are# administered# through# 17# jurisdictions# or# districts*
that*encompass# the# entire# State# (DCP# 2012).# The# Department# currently# operates#
35#offices#in#eight#directorates#across#the#state.#The#Country#Services#Directorate#
delivers# both# child# protection# and# family# services# to# the# Department’s# nine#
country# districts# (DCP# 2012).# The# Directorate# also# has# responsibility# for# the#
ChildFIRST# Assessment# and# Interview# Team# (DCP# 2012,# 2).# The# location# of# the#
Department’s# operations# and# the# geographical# subjects# of# this# research# are#
presented#here#in#Figure#3.1.#
Figure'3.1:'Map'of'the'Department'Country'District'and'Office'locations'
"
Source:"Adapted"from"DCP"Maps."8"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
8"Metropolitan"and"country"districts"and"office"locations"(DCP"2010"Annual"Report)"
Country"Districts"and"Offices"Map"(DCP"no"date)"Accessed"online:" https://www.dcp.wa.gov.au/Organisation/employment/PublishingImages/CPFS%20LResponsibility# for# the# management# of# each# district# resides# within# each# District#
office# under# the# direction# of# the# District# director# (and# team# leader# within# each#
satellite# office),# with# the# Directorate# of# Country# Services# providing# overall# line#
management#responsibility,#direction#and#support#to#all#country#districts.#
The#Department#distinguishes#its#workforce#between#those#personnel#engaged#in#
child#protection#roles#and#those#engaged#in#field#support#roles.#The#classification#of#
child# protection# roles# has# undergone# significant# change# over# the# duration# of# the#
research,#as#evidenced#by#their#increase#from#nine#to#12#from#the#commencement#
to#the#completion#of#the#research.#A#list#of#roles#according#to#type#is#presented#in#
Table#3.1.##
Table'3.1:'Child'protection'roles''
Specified'calling' Non4specified'calling' Field'support' • Child#Protection#Worker#(SC#Level# 1)#–#Community,#Parent#Support## • Senior#Child#Protection#Worker#(SC# Level#2)#–#Placement#Services,# Community,#ChildFIRST,#Parent# Support,#Family#Domestic#Violence,# Secure#Care# • Psychologist#(SC#Level#1)# • Clinical/Counselling#Psychologist# (SC#Level#2#or#3)# • Team#Leader#Child#Protection#(SC# Level#3)#D#ChildFIRST,#Parent# Support,#Residential#Care,#Secure# Care# • Senior#Manager#D#Residential#Care,# Secure#Care# • Residential#Care#Officer## • Senior#Residential#Care# Officer#Level#3# • Secure#Care#Officer# Level#4# • Manager#Residential# Care# • Family#Resource# Employee# • Resource# Employee# • Customer#Service# Officer# • Customer#Liaison# Officer# • Residential#Care# Officer# Source:#DCP#(no#date#9).#
########################################################
9#‘Career#and#Education#pathways#brochure’.*Accessed#online:##
https://www.dcp.wa.gov.au/Organisation/employment/Pages/Child%20protecti
While#a#detailed#examination#of#the#reasons#for#this#change#is#deferred#to#Chapter#
8,# the# significance# of# the# classifications# presented# in# Table# 3.1# is# that# each#
classification#carries#with#it#a#corresponding#qualification#requirement,#with#half#of#
the# Department’s# child# protection# roles# now# designated# as# a# ‘specified# calling’,#
requiring#a#degreeDlevel#qualification#in#specified#disciplines#(see#Chapter#8).##
3.1.2 The Murchison District
The#Department’s#Murchison#District#is#one#of#nine#‘country’#districts#under#which#
the#Department#delivers#child#protection#services#outside#the#Perth#metropolitan#
area.#It#is#the#second#largest#district#by#land#area,#encompassing#an#area#of#660,000#
square# kilometres.# The# District# comprises# the# state# government# administrative#
regions#of#the#MidDWest#and#the#Gascoyne,#deriving#its#name#from#an#area#to#the#
north,#in#and#around#the#Murchison#River.#While#Figure#3.1#illustrates#the#size#of#
the# District# relative# to# the# state# of# Western# Australia# for# the# purposes# of#
international# readers# and# references# to# international# contexts# presented# later# in#
this#thesis,#it#is#worth#putting#the#size#of#the#area#in#a#global#perspective.#By#land#
area# the# District# roughly# equals# the# combined# size# of# Texas# (420,411#km
2)# and#
California#(250,702#km
2),#is#two#and#a#half#times#the#size#of#the#United#Kingdom#(a#
region# of# 65# million# people# (ABS,# 2012c)),# or# equal# in# size# to# Alberta,# Canada#
(Canada’s#sixth#largest#province#by#land#area),#
The# Department’s# District# operations# are# administered# through# offices# in# six#
locations:#Geraldton,#Carnarvon,#Meekatharra,#Wiluna,#Mount#Magnet#and#Mullewa#
(DCP# 2010b,# 3).# The# District# headquarters# is# located# in# the# regional# city# of#
Geraldton# in# the# state’s# MidDWest# region.# Located# approximately# 432# kilometres#
north#of#Perth,#the#Geraldton#office#is#one#of#three#main#permanent#staffed#offices#
in#the#District#and#the#closest#to#Perth#by#distance#and#travel#time.#This#research#
has#primarily#focused#on#the#three#main#office#locations#of#Geraldton,#Carnarvon#
and#Meekatharra,#being#those#offices#with#a#permanently#staff#profile.#However,#as#
examined#in#Chapter#8,#in#view#of#the#Department’s#identification#of#Wiluna#as#a#
hardDtoDrecruit#site#requiring#its#own#strategy#in#the#early#stages#of#this#research,#
and#in#view#of#the#particular#characteristics#of#the#place,#this#research#also#includes#
an#examination#of#the#Wiluna#office.#
Central# to# this# research# thesis# is# the# importance# of# the# physical# setting# to#
interactions#(Bronfrenbrenner#1979),#and#the#role#of#setting#in#place#attachment#
(Milligan,1998).#To#support#this#aspect#of#the#research,#photographs#of#the#exterior#
of# the# District# offices# are# presented# in# Appendix# 6.# The# photos# suggest# the#
variability#in#the#physical#environment#of#the#Department’s#offices#in#the#selected#
localities.# The# relative# size# and# quality# of# the# Geraldton# office,# where# the#
Department#is#coDlocated#with#other#WA#public#sector#agencies,#reflects#both#the#
size# of# the# District# workforce# and# the# difference# in# infrastructure# provision# in#
Geraldton# as# a# regional# city.# Each# of# the# District# offices,# including# Carnarvon,# is#
situated#on#the#main#street#of#each#town.#In#the#case#of#Meekatharra,#the#‘street’#is#
the#Great#Northern#Highway,#with#the#Department’s#office#located#at#the#northern#
edge#of#the#town.#The#Department’s#Carnarvon#office#is#located#on#the#first#floor#
and#is#accessible#by#stairs#in#a#shopping#arcade.##
The'District'workforce'
The# profile# of# the# District# workforce# is# ageing# and# female.# Table# 3.2# presents# a#
summary#of#key#demographic#data#available#for#the#District#workforce#from#June#
2009#to#June#2011.##
Table&3.2a&Comparative&Profile&of&the&District&and&Department&Workforce&by&
Age&and&Gender:&2009C2011&
Indicator/& Characteristic&
MURCHISON& DEPARTMENT&
DecC09& JunC11& DecC10& DecC09& DecC10& JunC11& 1.&Gender&& && && && && && && Total#Females# 82.1# 88.3# 86.7# 79.1# 79.8# 79.8# Total#Males# 17.9# 11.7# 13.3# 17.9# 20.2# 20.2# 2.&&Age&& && && && && && && <#25#Years# 4.5# 6.5# 9.6# 7.2# 7.5# 7.9# 25:34#Years# 19.4# 19.5# 18.1# 22.1# 23.3# 23.1# 35:44#Years# 23.9# 16.9# 20.5# 24.8# 24.2# 24.2# 45:54#Years# 31.3# 28.6# 25.3# 28.2# 27# 26.7# 55:59#Years# 14.9# 22.1# 19.3# 9.3# 10# 10.2# 60+#Years# 6# 6.5# 7.2# 8.4# 8# 8.1# Total&45&Years&&& above& 52.2# 57.1# 51.8# 45.9# 45# 44.9# Total&55&Years&&& above& 20.9# 28.6# 26.5# 17.7# 18# 18.2#
3.&Diversity& && && && && && && Aboriginal# 14.8# 15.6# 18.1# 9.7# 10.2# 9.3# Culturally#Diverse## 14.9# 10.4# 14.5# 9.8# 9.3# 9.8# People#with# Disabilities# 0# 0# 0# 1.6# 1.5# 1.5# Source:#Derived#from#Annual#DCP#Workforce#Dashboard#Reports#for#2010#and#2011#and# Workforce#Analysis#Report#for#the#Murchison#District#December#2009.#
As#the#data#in#Table(s)#3.2a#and#3.2b#reveal,#four#in#five#people#employed#in#the#
District# are# women,# with# the# relative# proportion# of# women# to# men# in# the#
workforce#higher#for#the#Murchison#than#for#the#Department#as#a#whole.#However,#
as# illustrated# by# the# comparison# data# for# Country# Services# and# the# Metropolitan#
area#presented#in#Table#3.2b,#it#is#consistent#with#the#profile#of#these#service#areas.#
The#female#characteristic#of#the#workforce#is#consistent#with#that#of#most#statutory#
child# protection# authorities# across# Australia# and# those# professional# disciplines#
represented#within#the#sector,#notably#the#social#work#and#psychology#professions#
(Healy#&#Lonne#2010).#As#examined#elsewhere#in#this#thesis,#the#distinctly#‘female’#
profile#of#the#District#workforce#and#sector#workforce#is#implicated#in#presenting#
distinct# challenges# for# attraction# and# retention# strategies,# particularly# in# view# of#
reported#changing#Work/Life#preferences#for#women#in#the#21
st#century.###
As#examined#in#Chapters#7,#the#consequences#of#an#ageing#population#are#implicated#
in#presenting#a#unique#set#of#challenges#for#public#sector#institutions#due#to#the#age#
profile# of# its# workforce.# As# Table# 3.2# indicates,# these# challenges# also# confront# the#
Department# and# District# workforce:# the# District# workforce# is# generally# older,# with#
half#the#workforce#aged#45#years#or#over#and#more#than#oneDquarter#aged#55#years#
and# over# at# June# 2011.# The# proportion# of# younger# age# cohorts# within# the# District#
workforce# grew# during# the# period,# with# persons# aged# 25# years# or# under# almost#
doubling# (although# this# represented# a# total# of# eight# persons).# As# at# June# 2011,#
approximately#one#in#five#District#employees#identified#as#Aboriginal#persons#(n=15),#
a#3%#increase#from#the#commencement#of#the#research#period.##
Table&3.2b:&Profile&of&the&Department&and&District&Workforce&by&Age&and&Gender:&2009A2011&
Indicator&MURCHISON& DEPARTMENT& METRO& COUNTRY&
JunA11& DecA10& DecA
09& JunA11& DecA10& DecA09& JunA11& DecA10& DecA09& JunA11& DecA10& DecA09& 1.&Gender&& && && && && && && && && && && && &&
Total#Females# 86.7# 88.3# 82.1# 79.8# 79.8# 79.1# 85.7# 85.4# 83.5# 84.7# 84.1# 83.3#
Total#Males# 13.3# 11.7# 17.9# 20.2# 20.2# 17.9# 14.3# 14.6# 16.5# 15.3# 15.9# 16.7#
2.&Age&& && && && && && && && && && && && &&
<#25#Years# 9.6# 6.5# 4.5# 7.9# 7.5# 7.2# 8.5# 7.8# 7.3# 5.4# 5.9# 7.1# 25:34#Years# 18.1# 19.5# 19.4# 23.1# 23.3# 22.1# 26.0# 24.4# 22.7# 20.8# 22.8# 21.5# 35:44#Years# 20.5# 16.9# 23.9# 24.2# 24.2# 24.8# 21.8# 23.5# 25.4# 27.3# 25.3# 24.6# 45:54#Years# 25.3# 28.6# 31.3# 26.7# 27# 28.2# 24.7# 25.5# 25.9# 28.5# 27.6# 29.2# 55:59#Years# 19.3# 22.1# 14.9# 10.2# 10# 9.3# 9.3# 9.4# 9.1# 9.7# 9.6# 8.8# 60+#Years# 7.2# 6.5# 6# 8.1# 8# 8.4# 9.7# 9.4# 9.7# 8.3# 8.7# 8.7# Total&45&Years&&&above& 51.8# 57.1# 52.2# 44.9# 45# 45.9# 43.7# 44.3# 44.7# 46.5# 45.9# 46.7# Total&55&Years&&&above& 26.5# 28.6# 20.9# 18.2# 18# 17.7# 19.0# 18.8# 18.8# 18.0# 18.3# 17.5# 3.&Diversity& && && && && && && && && && && && &&
Aboriginal# 18.1# 15.6# 14.8# 9.3# 10.2# 9.7# 5.1# 6.0# 6.2# 19.7# 20.6# 18.7#
Culturally#Diverse## 14.5# 10.4# 14.9# 9.8# 9.3# 9.8# 11.5# 11.0# 10.9# 6.3# 5.4# 6.3#
People#with#Disabilities# 0# 0# 0# 1.5# 1.5# 1.6# 1.6# 1.8# 1.9# 0.9# 1.0# 0.1#
Source:#Derived#from#Annual#DCP#Workforce#Dashboard#Reports#for#2010#and#2011#and#Workforce#Analysis#Report#for#the#Murchison#District# December#2009.#