Social Work in Canberra

**Strawberry** · 11-02-2011, 04:30 PM

Hello,

I'm new to this site and am hoping that someone can help.

I've recently seen the UK campaign for Social Workers in Canberra and am seriously considering applying. I've been to Aus before (including Canberra) and have always wanted to go back to live/work.

However, I've read a few posts on here and other forums and can see that Canberra have recruited for SWs before, but some posts suggest that they don't seem to stay for long!!!!

Can anyone shed any light on this??

I'm currently in a very busy inner-city team so the prospect of going into another busy team doesn't put me off - well, not too much anyway!

I look forward to your replies!

Strawberry x

**Quoll** · 13-02-2011, 03:05 AM

I'm not quite sure what happened to this last lot - one of the people I had been corresponding with just sort of disappeared so no idea what drove her away.

The first lot were badly treated and most left within 12 months which was a shame as they brought some really good ideas with them. I think it was financial and residence issues that drove them away.

This last lot were mainly families because the rationale was that if kids were settled then their parents would be too. I know that they had great hopes of a mentoring system but AFAIK that fell down quite quickly, certainly for some that I spoke to.

They usually get workers for Child Protection and that is a tricky area to begin with, with high burnout rates across the board. It may also be that Canberra is an expensive place to live and maybe partners didnt get jobs or the pay didnt really stretch too far - not sure what they are offering but the average Canberra wage is around $80k and you can usually bank on a family having two incomes to support the mortgage (if you are renting then rents have increased atrociously of late)

That said, I did talk to an Irish girl on intake the other day so there is at least one of them left!!!

I also wonder whether the dept heads do an international recruitment campaign for their biannual junket to Europe!!!

**dolly1** · 22-02-2011, 11:20 PM

Originally Posted by Strawberry

Hello,

I'm new to this site and am hoping that someone can help.

I've recently seen the UK campaign for Social Workers in Canberra and am seriously considering applying. I've been to Aus before (including Canberra) and have always wanted to go back to live/work.

However, I've read a few posts on here and other forums and can see that Canberra have recruited for SWs before, but some posts suggest that they don't seem to stay for long!!!!

Can anyone shed any light on this??

I'm currently in a very busy inner-city team so the prospect of going into another busy team doesn't put me off - well, not too much anyway!

I look forward to your replies!

Strawberry x

Hi Strawberry,
as a survivor of DHCS child protection in Canberra I can give you an extensive list of why recruits from UK and Ireland did not stay. Australian collegues are unqualified social workers, have no experience or knowledge in social work theory or practice. Most of them are racist and refused to with with that they referred to as 'abbos' Aboriginals. The culture of bullying from the top down was horrendous, the working hours were extensive and the UK and Irish recruits were all given the difficult cases which involved familes who were extremely dangerous. I was badly assaulted, but received no support whatsoever. I could go on and on. You should really google a solicitor in Canberra called David Lander who has successfully pursued cases where staff were illegally sacked because they made complaints about the system. The Canberra Times, local newspaper has written quite a lot about bullying in DHCS, but the goverment appear to turn a blind eye. I do hope this hasn't put you off, but you really need to be realistic in terms of what you will be expected to achieve through work, which may impact negatively on your family.

guest50198 · 02-03-2011, 12:30 AM

gulp, only joined this site to prepare myself in hope that i can get throught the interview with care and protection .......dont know how i feel about it now......how bad is it???? its not good here and i dont want to stay here with my family anymore, after the GFC and house prices, recession etc we thought about the NZ and the US (it was too complicated by individual state stuff) and this job advert was like a blessing.....have interview and now feel really unsure about what this means, is it the people or the type of work, partner and i have child protection experience, this was ideal.....

**dolly1** · 03-03-2011, 03:28 PM

Hi there, I've replied to your post and hope I have answered your questions, but if you need any information on what to expect if you accept the position with care and protection then please contact me. I can guarantee you will be offered the post if you have any experience, one of the UK recruits lied about her experience and particularly her extensive health problems, and this was not picked up. Managers only realised when she was there that she had no direct contact with children, and she had to be moved around the department, causing mayhem and distruption wherever she went until her two years were completed and she could legitimately leave as they didn't want to lose face. I had a real titter at that one.
D

**Nicholas1** · 06-03-2011, 01:29 PM

HI there, My wife has an interview at the beginning of April and Dolly's comments have obviously put a spanner in teh works although of course we would rather know now rather than later! Dolly I cant see how to contact you but wondered if you would private message me as it would be incredibly usefult o know more detqail beyond what you have posted.

**Lakaal** · 16-03-2011, 12:48 PM

I think Melbourne are also recruiting Child Protection Social Workers have a look at (a career that counts)

**sancon** · 20-03-2011, 12:43 PM

can anyone help in regard to skills assessment by the AASW only on their form for assessment Q12 says not to fill it in unless already granted a visa and yet this cannot be granted until the skills assessment is completed and the immigration have confirmation from the AASW so real chicken and egg

can anyone help please I have sent several mails to the AASW as advised on the form without a response

steve and lindy

**Lakaal** · 20-03-2011, 09:47 PM

Hi Sancon,

Not sure if u are Reading that right? Or I have misunderstood u.

But q10 asks are u going to use this assessment to migrate, if the answer is yes then u just go straight to q13 u skip q12.

If answer is no and u are a Permanent resident of Australia as asked in q11 then u have to answer q12.

Does that make sense?

So if u planning to migrate just answer yes q10 and go straight to q13.

Hope that helps. I got my aasw positive assessment a few weeks ago yipeee alot of paperwork :( don't envy u!!!!

**sancon** · 21-03-2011, 07:08 PM

Thanks for getting back on that post

typical of me to whizz through a form without reading it properly!!

we will get the skills assessment sent off ASAP

we have also contacted Victoria in regards to positions in children services and wondered if might be better getting sponsored under subclass 457 visa will wait to hear back from them on that

pleased you have got your skills assessed and hope itgoes well

where are you planning to go

steve and lindy