Thousands of Queensland child safety workers to walk off job over stalled pay talks

Union escalates industrial action as staff report caseloads double the safe limit and more than 100 positions remain vacant

By LineZotpaper

Published25 September 2026

Read Time3 min

Thousands of Queensland child safety workers will walk off the job for two-and-a-half hours this afternoon, escalating protected industrial action amid stalled negotiations with the state government over pay and conditions. The Together Union says members have been left with no choice as the government fails to address chronic understaffing and excessive caseloads.

The Together Union has been bargaining with the Queensland government on a new child safety and youth justice agreement since March and has been taking protected industrial action since August. Assistant secretary Dee Spink said members would escalate action on Friday afternoon.

"Our members absolutely don't want to be walking off the job," Ms Spink said. "They already donate thousands of hours each month to working for this department and not getting paid for it, but they've simply got no choice in the matter because the government's not taking this seriously."

The union reports that child safety workers routinely manage caseloads of 30 or more children, against an agreed safe caseload of around 16. More than 100 child safety officer positions also remain vacant.

Child safety worker Lucy Besnard said the sector had been asked to do more with less and had "just run out of less". "We really try and make sure that every child and young person is safe, but we know that if we can't get to go and do all the visits that we need to do … we know that we're just not doing a good job by them," she said. "We want to, but we just can't." Ms Besnard added that many members were "sacrificing" being a parent to their own child to ensure children in the system were safe.

During the walkout, employees plan to bring air mattresses to local members of parliament's offices to highlight cases in which children have spent the night in government offices waiting for suitable placements. In June, the state government confirmed such incidents occur but described them as "rare".

A Child Safety Department spokesperson said the government had made an offer and was continuing to negotiate enterprise bargaining agreements in good faith. "The department has long established business continuity plans in place," the spokesperson said in a statement. "We will continue to prioritise the safety and wellbeing of children and young people and work to minimise the impact on the delivery of critical services during the work stoppage."

Labor opposition spokesperson Meaghan Scanlon said the child safety system was in crisis and was hurting the state's "most vulnerable".

Analysis

Why This Matters

The walkout directly affects thousands of vulnerable children in Queensland's child safety system, who already face high caseloads and placement shortages.
The dispute highlights systemic underfunding and staffing crises in essential public services, with potential political fallout for the state government.
Continued industrial action could disrupt critical child protection services, forcing children to spend more time in inappropriate temporary settings.

Background

Queensland's child safety system has faced sustained pressure from rising demand and workforce shortages. The Together Union has been in protracted negotiations with the government since March 2026 over a new enterprise agreement covering child safety and youth justice workers. Protected industrial action began in August. The union has repeatedly warned that chronic understaffing and excessive caseloads are jeopardising the safety of children in state care. The government has acknowledged the system is under strain but maintains it is negotiating in good faith and has contingency plans.

Key Perspectives

Together Union and child safety workers: They argue that unsustainable caseloads and vacancies mean children are not getting the visits and support they need. The walkout is a last resort after months of stalled talks, and workers say they are sacrificing their own time to fill the gaps. Queensland Government (Child Safety Department): It says an offer is on the table and negotiations are ongoing in good faith. The department insists it has business continuity plans to minimise disruption to critical services and will prioritise children's safety. Opposition (Meaghan Scanlon, Labor): Describes the system as being in crisis, implicitly criticising the government's handling of child safety despite being in opposition.

What to Watch

Whether the work stoppage and air mattress protest force the government to improve its offer or accelerate negotiations.
Any reports of children being affected by the walkout, such as missed visits or delayed placements.
The outcome of enterprise bargaining talks, which could set a precedent for other public sector negotiations in Queensland.

Sources

Thousands of Queensland child safety workers to walk off the job — Just In