Workforce Planning
Case Study 2: Frontline Job Analysis and Design Project
The Department of Child Safety has operated under a regime of continual reform since its
inception in 2004 and has made significant progress by implementing the 110 Blueprint
recommendations. As a part of this process, the Department has undertaken numerous projects to
inform workforce planning and to address the considerable workforce issues facing the Department
now and in the future.
This includes the Frontline Job Analysis and Design Project to develop and retain the Child
Protection workforce by reviewing job design, classification and organisational structure, training
and development (post employment), career path options and barriers, and entry level
qualifications.
Starting point…
In order to better understand the current working environment and to inform planning for future
workforce needs, the Department of Child Safety conducted significant consultation with frontline
staff across the state. With the agreement of the Queensland Public Sector Union, the
consultation took the form of face-to-face workshops and questionnaires, targeting all classification
levels and, in total, reaching 30% of staff.
The project was underpinned by a strong governance framework, enacted through a partnership
between the Human Resource Branch and the Training and Specialist Support Branch. The team
was overseen by a project steering committee, which provided effective leadership for the project.
What did we find?
Consultation responses highlighted the potential challenges facing the departmental workforce,
including:
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challenges in recruitment and retention, and associated cost of turnover (including
recruitment, professional training and lost service delivery hours);
changing roles, responsibilities and job functions, including the continued need to
differentiate and define the duties of some professional and paraprofessional functions in
the workforce; and
continued development of career pathways and progression, in order to provide career
progression that is both attractive and competency-based.
What can we do with this information?
From the initial phase of the project, a research report was developed. It recommended a number
of major structural and job design changes to the Department’s frontline workforce, as well as
associated support initiatives including revised training and selection methods.
The recommendations from the research report are currently being implemented.
So far:
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$2.2 million has been included in the current budget to provide better career progression
opportunities, work structures and job design for frontline staff, funding which was in large
part due to the recommendations of the report.
The report’s recommendation of accelerated progression of frontline staff with three years
experience to the next classification level has been enacted and the process is well
underway.
This process has also led to the piloting of a new Principal Child Safety Officer position.
Seven of these new positions will be spread across the state and the process for
recruitment is underway.
Finally, the department has also committed a number of resources to undertake a full
review of selection methods not just for Child Safety Officers but all staff in the department.
What have we gained?
The collection of quantitative and qualitative data from the frontline workforce to inform ways in
which the department needs to plan for the future has been a pivotal component of the workforce
planning process.
This information has led to reforms which will go a long way towards improving retention in the
department, both for the current and future workforces.
For further information
If you would like more information about the project, please contact:
Andre Degreef
Manager, Strategic Workforce Planning and Recruitment
Department of Child Safety
3224 7420
Pat Thorpe
Principal Policy Officer
Public Service Commission
3224 5514
Department of Child Safety – Frontline Job Analysis and Design Project