Change from within? social work proposals to change centrelink policy in cases of suspected child abuse

Abstract

Centrelink, the new government statutory agency providing government services to the Australian Public, and the Department of Social Security (DSS) have, for some time, employed social workers. However, where there are children at risk of abuse or neglect, DSS and Centrelink, in accordance with DSS Legislation, do not routinely allow their social workers, in their network of local offices, to directly notify the relevant statutory child welfare authority. This is different from other Federal, State and community agencies which employ social workers. There have been various policy attempts to persuade DSS and Centrelink to mandate their social workers to notify child abuse cases. Subsequent to these submissions, in 1997, the Acting Secretary to the Department of Social Security altered and extended this delegation to Area Social Workers and Regional Managers to perform this function, but not the social workers in local offices. This article argues that Senior Customer Service Centre Social Workers should be mandated to report cases of suspected child abuse. This paper reflects the views of the authors and does not necessarily represent the views of Centrelink, the Department of Social Security, nor the Minister for Social Security.