Members, especially those who are Caseworkers in Out of Home Care (OOHC), have been raising concerns about Behavioural Support Plans (BSPs) with the PSA for some time now.

Many members have questioned why the primary responsibility for drafting and implementing BSPs sits with Caseworkers, as they feel this is at odds with best practice. Caseworkers point out they are not behaviour support experts, which results in BSPs that are not of the quality that children, young people and their carers deserve.

PSA staff and delegates have taken members’ concerns to Department of Communities and Justice (DCJ) Executive over the past 12 months. Currently the Department’s guidelines state that Caseworkers are able to develop BSPs in foster and family-based care, such as relative and kinship care. Caseworkers have pointed out that the guidelines also state that ‘Positive Behaviour Support’ training is foundational and does not qualify a staff member as a behaviour support expert.

The PSA relies on your feedback and views in effectively advocating on your behalf. In light of the number of concerns raised by members, the PSA believes that the following survey will assist in better understanding the issues, as well as how deeply and widely felt the issues are, in order to more effectively advocate on members’ concerns relating to BSPs.

While this survey is open to everyone working in Community Services at DCJ, we can only act on behalf of members.  We encourage members to forward on the survey link to colleagues.

We also encourage anyone who has not yet joined the PSA to be part of a strong, growing union that works hard for its members by signing up to become a member HERE

Tell us what you think

The survey will take six minutes.

Please be assured that all responses are confidential and no individual respondent or CSC will be identified in future discussions with the Department.

CLICK HERE TO COMPLETE  THE SURVEY

The survey will be open until midday on 27 October 2021.