The PSA is pleased to announce that the following members have been elected as delegates to NSW Child Protection and Permanency Departmental Committee.
Electorate 1 Metropolitan (Sydney)
- Adam McMahon DCJ Community Services – Metro Central Sydney
- Antonella Giannaula DCJ Community Services – Bankstown CSC
- Brandy Pose DCJ Community Services – Parramatta CSC
- Brooke Blatch DCJ Community Services – SWS OOHC
- Kristen Hackett DCJ Community Services – Blacktown CSC
- Linda Gosbell DCJ Community Services – Mount Druitt CSC
- Tahu Ranapia’Nehua DCJ Community Services – JCPRP Inner Sydney
Electorate 2 Helpline/DV Line/AHRT (Metro)
- Edwina Doran DCJ Community Services – DOCS Helpline
- Eman Elfoul DCJ Community Services – DOCS Helpline
Electorate 3 Head Office (Metro)
- Daniel Hilaney DCJ Community Services – Parramatta Square
- Justin Stech DCJ Community Services – Parramatta Square
Electorate 4 Central West (Bathurst)
- Katie Milburn DCJ Community Services – JCPRP Broken Hill
- Vacant Position
Electorate 5 Hunter (Newcastle)
- Brett Gellwiler DCJ Community Services – Gosford CSC
- Nin Bennett DCJ Community Services – Charlestown CSC
- Paul Beeby DCJ Community Services – Taree CSC
- Tina Huggett DCJ Community Services – Hunter CFDU
Electorate 6 North Coast (Lismore)
- Daniel Shorter DCJ Community Services – Kempsey CSC
- Kellie Jermyn DCJ Community Services – Tweed Heads CSC
- Susan Nichols DCJ Community Services – Ballina CSC
Electorate 7 North West (Tamworth)
- Sharon Staader DCJ Community Services – JCPRP
Electorate 8 South East (Wollongong)
- Cara Malcolm DCJ Community Services – Illawarra Network
- Thomas Barron DCJ Community Services – Batemans Bay
Electorate 9 South West (Wagga)
- Anita Calabria DCJ Community Services – Griffith CSC
- Jordyn Leggett DCJ Community Services – Albury CSC
Congratulations to the newly elected delegates and thank you to all members who participated in the nomination process.
The newly elected Departmental Committee met in October 2026 to hold its Annual General Meeting, where they elected the executive committee, and conducted its first meeting to discuss the key issues affecting Child Protection and Permanency members.
There is currently one delegate vacancy in Electorate 4.
Casual vacancies may be filled during the two-year term of the Departmental Committee. Any casual vacancy must be endorsed by the Departmental Committee and approved by the PSA Executive.
If you are interested in filling this casual vacancy, please contact your Organiser for further information.
The Child Protection & Permanency Departmental Committee (DC) met at PSA House on 13-14 October 2026 to discuss key industrial, workplace and campaigning issues affecting members across NSW.
A key focus of the meeting was ensuring the concerns and experiences raised by members continue to inform the PSA’s advocacy and campaigning priorities. The following update outlines the key discussions, decisions, and actions arising from the meeting.
New Departmental Committee Steering Committee elected
Delegates elected the new CPP DC Steering Committee:
- Chair: Daniel Hilaney (Head Office)
- Vice Chair: Sue Nichols (Northern)
- Secretary: Katie Milburn (Broken Hill)
- Assistant Secretaries: Kristen Hackett (Metro) and Jordyn Leggett (Wagga Wagga)
- Diversity & Inclusion Officer: Paul Beeby (Hunter)
PSA and Industrial Updates
PSA leadership provided updates on:
- The importance of growing membership and strengthening workplace campaigns.
- The Domestic and Family Violence campaign.
- Ongoing work relating to travel and expenses processes.
- Future opportunities for delegates and members to influence union campaigns and priorities.
Restructure and workload Concerns
Significant discussion focused on the Phase 3 restructure and workload impacts. Members raised concerns about:
- Reduced support positions and increased frontline pressures.
- Larger workloads for caseworkers and managers.
- The importance of accurately recording overtime and using workload planners.
- Ongoing discussions regarding Aboriginal Caseworker role descriptions and flexible work arrangements.
The Committee will continue to monitor the impacts of the Phase 3 restructure and advocate for sustainable workloads, adequate staffing and improved workplace supports.
Workplace Safety Campaign
The DC discussed the upcoming Workplace Safety Campaign, with concerns raised about:
- Increasing occupational violence and aggression towards caseworkers.
- Inconsistent risk assessment practices.
- Underreporting of threats and incidents.
- The need for members to utilise Safety Suite and report workplace safety concerns.
Delegates are encouraged to support the campaign and promote participation in the Occupational Violence Survey when distributed.
Current industrial bans
Delegates reviewed current industrial bans and agreed that the following bans should remain in place:
- PDPs
- Subpoena redactions
- Behaviour Support Plans and Reviews
- WLP – 20 additional hours for Childstory tasks
- Evolve
Concerns remain about workload impacts, consultation processes, and the implementation of Evolve training.
Domestic and Family Violence Campaign
An update was provided on the PSA’s Domestic and Family Violence campaign, including:
- A white paper highlighting conditions across 15 NSW sites.
- A planned summit and roundtable for 25 November 2026.
- Encouragement for members to participate in campaign activities and engage with local MPs.
Harmony Day 2027
The DC agreed to focus its first statewide awareness event on Harmony Day, to be held on 21 March 2027. Planning will include cultural celebration activities, educational resources, and opportunities for member engagement statewide.
Issues raised by members
Delegates raised several ongoing concerns from workplaces across NSW, including:
- Increasing caseworker lists and challenges with triage reprioritisation.
- Concerns about the cessation of in-house Converge services and future EAP support.
- Administrative workloads and the need to revisit options for administrative support working groups.
- Workload impacts on administrative and casework support roles.
Get Involved
The strength of the PSA comes from active members. The Committee committed to continuing to escalate these concerns through industrial channels and to gather further evidence from members to support ongoing advocacy. If you have workplace concerns, ideas for campaigns, or issues that need to be escalated, please speak with your local delegate or contact the PSA Member Support Centre: 1800 772 679; .