The Public Service Association of NSW (PSA) has implemented a ban on members in Child Protection and Permanency taking part in a training package.

The union, which presents workers in the sector, said its members should not take part in the EVOLVE training until the Department of Communities and Justice meets a number of conditions.

The PSA demands the Department undertakes genuine consultation with staff and the PSA, regarding the program’s content and purpose. The union also wants the employer to demonstrate how the program addresses the practical challenges faced by frontline workers.

“The Department must prioritise action on workload and under-staffing issues, and workplace wellbeing as essential foundations for sustainable reform,” said the PSA’s Assistant General Secretary Troy Wright. “The PSA calls on the Department to co-design any future workforce capability initiative with frontline staff and the PSA to ensure they are relevant, respectful, and capable of delivering meaningful improvements.”

The work ban was introduced after the union surveyed members about the training package.

An overwhelming majority of those surveyed said the program was not useful at all to their daily roles. A similar percentage indicated training took too much time and many members told us they did not feel valued as employees.