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Workforce Futures Discussion Paper | Introduction

1

Workforce Futures Discussion Paper Building the workforce that supports Queensland

to be a safe place where children, young people

and families thrive.

July 2019


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Contents

Introduction 3

The Future Workforce 5

Delivering on the Vision 10

Next Steps 13

Appendices

Appendix A - Current Workforce Profile 15

Appendix B - The Workforce Futures Series 17

Appendix C - Workshop Artefacts 18

Appendix D - Sector Consultation 27

Endnotes 28


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Introduction

The child and family support sector (the sector) in Queensland has an opportunity to

leverage the changing nature of work, workers and the workplace to deliver better

outcomes for children, young people and families.

This discussion paper

draws on recent work by

the Queensland Family

and Child Commission

(QFCC) to define the

sector workforce and

outcomes of the

Workforce Futures

Series, which included

four cross-sector

workshops facilitated by

Deloitte to explore the

future of work and

considerations for the

sector.

The child and family support sector promotes and supports the basic rights

of children. This includes the right to education, the right to be free from

neglect and abuse, the right to health and wellbeing and the right to safety

and security. A child is vulnerable if they are at risk of having these basic

rights compromised.

Children, young people and families who experience vulnerability are

supported by a large cross-disciplinary workforce, employed in a range of

occupations and operating across different layers of the universal,

secondary and tertiary service system.

Over the past three years, the sector has matured through the growth of

secondary support services. The sector provides more early intervention

programs, has seen a strengthening of community-controlled organisations

and the introduction of child safe standards. In addition, the Queensland

Government is developing a more responsive and sustainable tertiary child

protection system through the Supporting Families, Changing Futures

reform program.

The current sector workforce profile and its key characteristics as

understood by the QFCC are provided in Appendix A.

To meet the current and future needs of children, young people and

families the sector requires a workforce that brings together the right

people, with the right knowledge, skills, abilities and attributes, in the right

places at the right time.

Considering the future of work through the lens of work, workers and

workplace can help the sector to understand the multiple drivers of change

and be best positioned to create a preferred future workforce.

Aspirations around the future of policy, demographics and digital

transformation help define what is possible and guide the sector.

Readers are invited to consider the priority agendas outlined in this paper

and the role that they can play in building the capability and capacity of

their own organisations and the sector’s workforce as a whole, to improve

the experience and protect the rights of Queensland’s most vulnerable

children.


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The Workforce Futures Series

The Workforce Futures Series was designed to explore the drivers shaping the

future of work for the child and family support sector, identify the levers for change

and propose priority agendas.

The QFCC and Deloitte hosted four workshops during May-June 2019

engaging a range of leaders, practice specialists, human resources, workforce

and operational leads from across the sector to understand current and

future workforce challenges and opportunities. Deloitte also engaged with

QFCC’s Community Partnership Group, a group of peak body organisations,

who helped to shape the focus of workshop four.

The Workshop Futures Series

The workshops confirmed that the sector has a strong appetite to work

collaboratively to build a workforce that enhances the sectors capacity,

capability and sustainability. An overview of the workshop series is provided

in Appendix B, with artefacts from the four workshops provided in Appendix

C. A list of Community Partnership Group members and workshop

participants is provided in Appendix D.

• Department of Child Safety, Youth

and Women • Queensland Police Service • Department of Premier and Cabinet • Children’s Health Queensland • Public Service Commission

• Department of Justice and Attorney General

• Jobs Queensland • Queensland Family and Child

Commission

Workforce Futures Discussion Paper | The Future Workforce

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The Future Workforce

Design Principles

The future workforce will be designed with the following principles.

Children at the centre,

Family focus

One workforce

Shared Accountability

Shared and measurable outcomes

Transparency

Children's rights

and needs guide

all we do, including

focusing on family

and community

wellbeing across

prevention, early

intervention and

child protection

elements of the

system.

The workforce is

capable,

continually

developing with

clear career

pathways and

representative of

the communities

they serve.

Workplaces

promote wellbeing

and harness

cultural knowledge

celebrating

diversity and seek

continuous

improvement by

embracing

innovation and

best practice.

Responsibility for

the rights and

needs of children,

young people and

families is clear

and shared

through formal

and informal

partnerships

resulting in

collaborative

working at all

levels.

Results can be

measured and are

determined by real

outcomes for

children, young

people and

families attributed

to seamless

functioning and

collaboration

between all

elements of the

sector.

Information and

insights are

available, and

inform sector

aspirations and

development

promoting trust

across the sector

and community

confidence.


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Future Vision

There is an opportunity for the sector to work together to design the future work,

worker and workplace to deliver a higher quality experience and improved

outcomes for children, young people and their families.

W O R K

The sector has the opportunity to

create an integrated experience,

providing timely wrap around support

and soft access points in the

community.

Secure technology can be leveraged

for information sharing and

appropriate access to personal and

support information when required

and wherever people are.

New service models and innovative

approaches to service delivery are

driven by a shared purpose to respond

to community needs.

W O R K E R

Workers are clear on their role, and are

enabled to make decisions, refer for

additional support and report issues of

concern.

Workers continue to be guided by

professional values and principles, and

are supported through continuous

learning opportunities and

connections to professional networks

and communities, including cultural

groups.

Artificial Intelligence is available to free

up time to allow more consistent

interactions with children, young

people and families.

W O R K P L A C E

A culture of inclusivity with a workforce

representative of the people the sector

supports is key.

An aligned and connected sector-wide

workforce drives productive

collaboration.

New technologies are used to create a

virtual workplace and assist in

automating processes.

Data on services and family needs

inform new ways of working with

trends mapped at the community level.

How can the sector build

technology enabled,

integrated, innovative

services responsive to

community needs?

How can the sector embed a

culture of continuous

learning supported by

development and career

pathways?

How can the sector build a

representative workforce and

further develop inclusivity?

W O R K E R W O R K P L A C E

A technology-enabled workplace with a culture of well-being and learning that ensures timely high-quality work

whenever, wherever focusing on outcomes for children, young people and families.

A nimble, safe, highly skilled, passionate, inclusive and diverse sector workforce led by inspired leaders who put

people and children first and leverage capabilities to enhance outcomes.

W O R K Empowered teams and individuals work collaboratively to

provide the best support for children, young people, families and communities who experience vulnerability.


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Future Experience

Imagine a future where

children, young people

and families are

confident in accessing

the services they need.

Where they feel valued

when they get support

in a timely manner.

Where the services they

receive help them to

feel more connected

and supported by their

family and their

community.

The use of composite journey stories brought the voice of children, young

people and families to the workshops to create a better appreciation of their

experiences and the ‘moments that matter’ in their interaction with the

sector. This voice is critical as we look to a future that improves outcomes

and experiences for children, young people and their families

The sector has the opportunity to come together to make an impact that

matters and create a future where:

Carers and professionals support the physical, mental, social,

spiritual and cultural needs of children, young people and

families.

Parents have a range of informal supports and feel

comfortable and confident in accessing formal supports, if

required.

Communities are sites of connection and belonging. Service

systems align with community needs, activities and

expectations.

Interaction with child protection is respectful, and information

and decision making is communicated clearly and in a timely

manner.

Children, young people and families know where to access

support, it is available and staff are capable in assisting, either

themselves or via professional networks.


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Drivers of Change

Policy, social and demographic and technology drivers are already impacting the

work, workers and workplaces of the sector. Understanding aspirational scenarios for

each of these drivers raises further questions for discussion.

P o l i c y

Collaboration across the sector has

developed a one workforce model,

with quality assurance and excellence

frameworks giving organisations,

clients and the community confidence.

There is a consistent quality of service

to all clients, especially those who are

most vulnerable regardless of where

they live and their circumstances.

The policy framework is strategically

committed to achieving client and

community outcomes beyond

political and funding cycles allowing

organisations to have confidence to

invest in long term solutions.

S o c i a l a n d D e m o g r a p h i c

There is a loud, clear community voice

in the design, development, delivery and

evaluation of services.

The sector is more responsive and

culturally capable, demonstrated by a

more representative workforce.

There is a marked reduction in

entrenched disadvantage across the

community, with a reduction in the

disproportionate vulnerability

experienced by Aboriginal and Torres

Strait Islander children, young people

and families.

T e c h n o l o g y

Technologies support work, workers

and workplaces across the sector to

connect and communicate

seamlessly.

Technology provides practical

advantages i.e. a workforce

connected across organisations, able

to securely share information and

data.

Technology supports better front

and back end processes and frees

up time for working with children

young people and families.

How can policy settings

drive business maturity and

excellence aspirations that

support a capable and

developing workforce?

How can the sector align

community expectations

to service design and have

our workforce reflective

of the communities we serve?

How can the sector harness

technology to improve

services and unleash workers

capacity to create a stronger

focus on connecting with

children, young people and

families?

Workforce Futures Discussion Paper |

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In the face of policy,

demographic and technological

changes,

how do we work together as a

sector to bring our vision to life?

“Queensland is a safe place

where children, young people

and families thrive.”

Workforce Futures Discussion Paper | Delivering on the Vision

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Delivering on the Vision

Levers for Change

To transition the sector to an integrated ecosystem, three inter-connected levers for

change have been identified. These levers are catalysts to delivering the levels of

resilience and adaptability required across the sector and will provide the foundation

for the workforce transformation required over the next ten years.

Talent Management

Developing a sector wide approach to attract, retain, deploy,

develop and reward a diverse workforce with transferable skills to

build sector capability and a highly engaged workforce.

New Ways of Working

Bringing the voice of children, young people and families more strongly into client centred, collaborative service design and delivery for improved alignment across the sector.

Leveraging Technology

Supporting the workforce with technology for information sharing,

collaboration and automation to unleash capacity to connect with

children, young people and families in need, and provide much

needed insights for planning and decision making.


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Building a Sector Eco-system

As the sector seeks to harness the levers for change and create an enhanced

experience for children, young people and families, there is a need to be more

adaptable, resilient and inclusive. Working as one across the sector can deliver this,

however action is required at four levels:

The Sector Eco-system | By viewing the sector as an eco-

system made up of the many entities, there are

opportunities to drive efficiencies, leverage economies

of scale and create a holistic approach responsive to the

changing needs of the sector.

The Organisations in the Sector | Organisations in the

sector need to adapt to change themselves and continue

to foster collaboration across the sector. To fully realise

the benefits of being a part of an eco-system,

organisations must adopt the systems and processes for

enabling people and data to move outside existing

silos whilst continuing to focus on delivering enhanced

and streamlined quality services within their mission.

Our Leaders | Leaders across the sector ecosystem need to

become enablers of high performing, cross-

organisation teams. They need to embrace change,

navigate ambiguity and complexity, and harness an

increasingly diverse workforce. Leaders must be able to

empower, support and connect their teams with each

other and in providing services to children, young people

and families.

Our People | Efforts to attract, retain, develop and

harness the right individuals reflective of the diverse

communities the sector serves is key. Building the

resilience of individuals to adapt to change and work

across boundaries and to leverage data and networks to

make decisions that deliver the best outcomes for

children, young people and families.

To become more adaptable, change is required at 4 levels:

Organisations in the sector should share

a unifying purpose and create the

support systems and processes for cross-

sector networks to become purpose

driven teams

An adaptable ecosystem emerges through a long-term series of

many small changes.

How the work

environment

CONNECTS

How services are

COORDINATED

How work is

MANAGED

How services are

DELIVERED

The Sector

Ecosystem

The

Organisations

in the Sector

Our

Leaders

Our

People


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Priority Agendas

The following priority agendas aligned to each of the levers for change and

workforce levels will build resilience, adaptability and inclusivity positioning the

workforce to harness the future of work for enhanced experience and service

outcomes.

Talent Management Ways of Working Technology & Data

The Sector

Ecosystem

Sector Workforce Strategy

TM1 Undertake workforce demand and

supply modelling to inform sector-

wide, high-quality education, learning,

development and career progression

opportunities.

Alignment, oversight and

governance

W1 Encourage place-based

processes that bring workforce

stakeholders together with members

of the community to make shared

decisions informed by local

knowledge and cultural intelligence.

W2 Seek stronger bi-partisan

agreement for resourcing and

funding.

Predictive and preventative

analysis

TD1 Leverage data for predictive

and preventative analysis to inform

more robust decision making.

The

Organisations

in the Sector

Transferable skills and capabilities

TM2 Foster cross-organisation

collaboration, placement, secondment

and professional development

opportunities to build knowledge and

expertise ‘in place’.

Service design and delivery

W3 Formalise accessible processes

for engaging children, young people,

families and communities in decision

making and service design.

Technology enabled collaboration

TD2 Create an integrated records

database with appropriate access for

each stakeholder.

TD3 Explore technology applications

that can be used to support

responsive teams face-to-face and

virtually.

Our

Leaders

Leadership and talent strategy

TM3 Develop a cross-organisation

leadership strategy that defines the role

of leaders and approaches to talent

management, workforce development

and succession planning.

TM4 Undertake a gap analysis to focus

leadership development across the

sector.

Enabling cross-organisation teams

W4 Enable cross-organisational

teams to form around a common

purpose.

W5 Enhance the sector’s capability

and credibility as a culturally safe,

intelligent and supportive workplace.

Knowledge management

TD4 Implement a knowledge

management approach to collect,

retain and share knowledge through

lessons learned.

Our

People

Attraction and retention

TM5 Identify retention challenges, and

develop a sector-wide approach to

attract, recruit and retain a diverse

workforce reflective of the people the

sector serves.

TM6 Explore approaches to attract and

develop people in remote, rural and

regional areas promoting cultural

intelligence and diversity within the

workforce i.e. cadetships, internships,

scholarships and subsidies.

Culture and behaviour

W6 Define and develop common

definitions and operational

frameworks for use

across the sector.

Data enabled decision making

TD5 Establish systems, processes

and data sharing that allow networks

to form around children to support

decision making.

Workforce Futures Discussion Paper | Next Steps

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Next Steps

The QFCC is seeking your feedback on this document and the proposed priority

agendas in order to confirm the priorities, priority owners and roles for the next

three years.

The following steps are proposed to facilitate the sector to design and plan for the shared workforce initiatives that will

prepare the sector for the future of work, and enhance the experience and outcomes for children, young people and

families.

Execution and Iteration

Execute the 3 year plan

with opportunities for

ongoing feedback from

the sector and iteration

to respond to

suggestions and the

continually changing

environment.

4

Engagement and Feedback

Engage with the

sector for more

detailed discussion

on the

prioritisation of

actions.

2 3 Year Plan

Determine roles

responsibilities and

time frames for

key actions and

initiatives that will

form a 3 year plan.

3

1 Socialisation

Share the Discussion

Paper with key

sector stakeholders

for initial reactions

and to plan broader

engagement.

Workforce Futures Discussion Paper | Next Steps

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Discussion Topics

Together with questions throughout this paper, the following discussion topics are provided to prompt conversation

among key sector stakeholders. You are invited to consider these questions in order to explore the role you and your

organisation can play in supporting the sector to build a united future workforce.

Do the priority agendas resonate with you?

What other information do you have that might support the priority agendas?

What insights do you have that would help shape and priorit ise the agendas?

What role can you play in shaping and actioning the priority agendas?

How do the priority agendas align with your organisation’s strategy?

Which of the priority agendas could you or your organisat ion lead?

Workforce Futures Discussion Paper | Appendices

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Appendix A-

Current Workforce Profile

Source:

The current workforce profile for the child and family support sector has been informed by Forecasting the future (Deloitte Access

Economics and DCSYW, CSIA 2016), and the Your workforce, Your futures survey (QFCC, Health and Community Services Workforce

Council, 2016).

Data for the workforce profile was sourced via the ABS, 2016 Census of Population and Housing. The workforce profile is based on

36 occupations from 2 core industries, Health and Social Assistance and Public Administration and Safety.

The selection of occupations is based on a definition of people who work with children, young people and families who experience

vulnerability. The analysis provides a context specific, point in time description.

The high level approach to defining the workforce has been shared with Deloitte Access Economics who acknowledged that the

approach taken to determine workforce inclusions seemed sensible given the challenges of defining the workforce.


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How capable and strong is

the secondary sector and its

workforce in meeting the

needs of vulnerable


families?

How are we building and

growing the Aboriginal and

Torres Strait Islander

workforce?

What would more male and

younger workers bring in

supporting vulnerable


families?

How are we supporting

workforce supply and

development in regional,

rural and remote areas to

improve service delivery

given our dispersed

population?

How easily can our workforce

continually improve their

practice, build capability and

credentials - all helping to

improve service delivery

and create a more

sustainable workforce?

The Current Workforce Profile Characteristics

The total workforce is well over 12,000 people. Over half of the workforce are in the

secondary sector and 2/3 are in non-government organisations. The workforce is more than

70% female; this gender structure is consistent across most age groups and occupations.

There is however, more males and a greater gender balance across a small number of

occupations (Youth Workers, Drug and Alcohol Counsellors and Child and Youth Residential

Care Workers).

We have a regionally dispersed workforce, aligned to the resident population with three-

quarters based outside the Brisbane local government area – making the sector a strong

regional employer. The sector has a relatively large Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander

workforce - 7% of the total workforce. This percentage is more than double the total

Indigenous population in Queensland and higher than the general Queensland workforce in

which the figure is approximately 2.5%. The sector is well educated - over 80% of the

workforce hold a certificate III or higher qualification, compared to 63% of the general

Queensland workforce. More than half of the workforce have a Bachelor’s degree or higher

level qualification.

Although the average age of the workforce and those over 55 are comparable with the

Queensland average, there are fewer young people in the workforce. Less than 20% of the

workforce are under 30 years of age compared to 26% of the general Queensland workforce.


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Appendix B -

The Workforce Futures Series

The Workforce Futures Series brought the sector together for four workshops to consider a range of drivers

for change, their possible impacts and the workforce opportunities and priorities to respond.

Workshop 1

Senior leaders from the child and family support sector came together to create a shared understanding of the current workforce,

the drivers shaping the sector and the future of work. They identified opportunities and challenges for the future workforce and

prioritised actions. Artefact: Workshop 1 led to an infographic displaying a future vision and themed opportunities in relation to the

framework: work, worker and workplace (see Appendix C).

Workshop 2

Operations and practice representatives of the Queensland child and family support sector workforce came together to look at a

plausible future through the eyes of children and their families. Three composite stories from young people were used to identify the

service delivery moments that matter for children, young people and families. Using these moments that matter, participants

identified opportunities to have a greater impact on this service delivery experience. Artefact: A journey story of the future

experience that is the aspiration for children, young people and their families (see Appendix C).

Workshop 3

Child and family support sector operations and human resources representatives were invited to reflect on the moments that matter

from workshop two and to test preferable future scenarios. The purpose of the workforce scenario lab was to think about the

different workforce adjustments to achieve the desired future service delivery experience for children, young people and families.

Using an adaptable organisation framework to view the sector as an ecosystem, participants identified their priorities for the

workforce according to layers of the sector ecosystem, sector organisations, leaders and people. Artefact: Graphical representation

of the future scenarios and priorities that would have a high impact and be relatively easier to implement (see Appendix C).

Workshop 4

Senior leaders were invited back to walk through the journey since workshop one. The opportunities identified throughout this series

were presented and narrowed into key workforce agendas at four different layers of the sector - sector ecosystem, sector

organisations, leaders and people. Artefact: Key initiatives and a summary of the Workforce Futures Series (see Appendix C).

Data from each of these workshops has been collected, analysed and distilled into this discussion paper to provide insights to the

future child and family support sector workforce for further discussion among the leaders of the sector.


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Appendix C –

Workshop Artefacts


19


20


21


22


23


24


25


26


27

Appendix D – Sector

Consultation

QFCC Community Partnerships Group • Community Services Industry Alliance (CSIA)

• CREATE Foundation

• Peak Care Queensland Inc

• Queensland Aboriginal and Islander Health Council (QAIHC)

• Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Child Protection Peak Ltd (QATSICPP)

• Queensland Council of Social Service (QCOSS)

• Queensland Family and Child Commission (QFCC).

Workshop Attendees Government

• Children’s Health Queensland Hospital and Health Service

• Department of Child Safety, Youth and Women

• Department of Justice and Attorney-General

• Department of the Premier and Cabinet

• Jobs Queensland

• Public Service Commission

• Queensland Family and Child Commission

• Queensland Mental Health Commission

• Queensland Police Service.

Non Government

• ACCORAS (Brisbane South Division Ltd) • Anglicare

• Blue Care Cape York Family Centre • Central Queensland Indigenous Development (CQID)

• Churches of Christ • Community Services Industry Alliance

• CREATE Foundation • Darling Downs and West Moreton PHN

• Darumbal • Griffith Law School

• Helem Yumba Central Queensland Healing Service • Infinity Community Solutions

• Kummara • Kurbingui Youth Development Ltd

• LEAD Childcare • Life Without Barriers

• Logan Together • Micah Projects

• Mission Australia (Queensland) • Peak Care Queensland Inc

• Queensland University of Technology (QUT) • TAFE Queensland

• UnitingCare Queensland • Yourtown

• Youth and Family Services.

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Endnotes

Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2016 Census of Population and Housing, 2016.

Jobs Queensland, the Future of Work in Queensland to 2030 – Evolution or revolution?, 2019.

QFCC, Health and Community Services Workforce Council, Your workforce, Your futures survey,

2016.

Deloitte, The adaptable organisation: Harnessing a networked enterprise of human resilience,

2018.

Deloitte Access Economics, The path to prosperity: Why the future of work is human, 2019

https://www2.deloitte.com/insights/us/en/focus/technology-and-the-future-of-work/building-the-

lucky- country.html.

Deloitte Access Economics and DCSYW, CSIA Forecasting the future, 2016.

Deloitte Insights, AI-augmented human services, Using cognitive technologies to transform

program delivery, 2017.

Deloitte Review, Navigating the Future of Work, Can we point business, workers, and social

institutions in the same direction? Issue 21, July 2018.

https://www2.deloitte.com/insights/us/en/focus/technology-and-the-future-of-work/building-the-lucky-country.htmlhttps://www2.deloitte.com/insights/us/en/focus/technology-and-the-future-of-work/building-the-lucky-country.html

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