Union: ‘Chronic understaffing’ contributing to stress and aggression among Banksia Hill child detainees

A union representing youth custodial officers say “chronic understaffing” at Banksia Hill Detention Centre is contributing to the heightened stress and aggression among child detainees.

The CPSU/CSA on Monday released a letter its leadership sent to the Department of Justice in May 2021 - 18 months ago - that sounded the alarm on safety concerns at the facility.

The letter said dangerously low staffing levels was putting the workforce at risk, denying the children in custody proper rehabilitation and resulting in “rolling lockdowns”.

Its release comes after confronting footage emerged of three officers at Banksia Hill pinning a 14-year-old Indigenous boy to the ground.

The teen could be seen with his face to the ground, legs bent up toward his back and arms pulled behind him - a practice known as “folding”.

In a statement, CPSU/CSA branch secretary Rikki Hendon did not directly address the disturbing images but blamed the Department of Justice and successive State governments for the crisis.

She said Banksia Hill had experienced “ongoing, dangerous levels of understaffing”, with staff levels regularly 50 per cent below capacity over the past 12-18 months.

The consequence is that longer lockdown periods are imposed on detainees because the facility can’t be safely managed without sufficient staff on shift.

“This impedes the young people at Banksia Hill from being able to access the vital education and rehabilitation they desperately need, and in turn leads to heightened stress levels, unrest and aggression,” Ms Hendon said.

This is not an environment that is safe for young people and staff.

“High rates of staff assault and workers compensation lead to significant levels of turnover and vacancy, which exacerbates the ongoing crisis.

“Successive governments have ignored the concerns of our members. These are issues that they have been raising for years, not months.

“What we are seeing now is a symptom of unresolved, systemic issues that have reached a crisis point for staff and the young people at the centre.”

The union has organised a meeting of union delegates at Banksia Hill for Tuesday to discuss staff safety and welfare issues.

Last year’s letter, addressed to Department of Justice director general Adam Tomison, pleaded for the concerns of officers to be taken seriously to prevent a “significant event”.

“Our members have repeatedly raised concern at the lack of consistency in the commitment to a clearly articulated model of care,” it said.

“This, along with the chronic understaffing at this facility, continue to undermine the capacity to deliver real and genuine rehabilitation capability.”

Youth custodial officers are specially selected and trained to work with juveniles in detention.

A Department of Justice spokesman said multiple recruitment campaigns had been undertaken, with five entry-level training programs being facilitated this year.

“To date, 63 new youth custodial officers have been recruited and trained with a further 19 probationary officers due to complete training by the end of the year,” he said.

“Current recruiting includes Aboriginal Mental Health Officers, Aboriginal Nurse Practitioners and additional Aboriginal Youth Support Officers who will form part of the newly funded Aboriginal Services Unit.”