Tasmania’s Children and Youth Workforce Roundtable to tackle long-term sector shortages

Tasmania has taken a step toward strengthening the state’s child and youth services workforce with the launch of its first Children and Youth Workforce Roundtable, announced by Minister for Children and Youth Roger Jaensch.

The new roundtable will bring together key stakeholders across government, education and community sectors to address workforce shortages in frontline roles, including early childhood education and care (ECEC), and to develop long-term, sustainable solutions.

Minister Jaensch said the roundtable would be active for the next three years and would work to ensure Tasmania has a capable and well-supported workforce to meet both current service demands and the State Government’s ongoing reform commitments.

“The Roundtable will consider the workforce challenges and opportunities, ensuring a thriving ecosystem of valued and capable workers into the future,” he said.

The group will operate as an advisory body, with membership including non-government partners who deliver essential services to children and young people, the Commissioner for Children and Young People, relevant unions, the University of Tasmania and TasTAFE, and representatives from the Department for Education and Young People and the Department of Health.

The roundtable’s formation responds directly to a recommendation of the Commission of Inquiry into the Tasmanian Government’s Responses to Child Sexual Abuse in Institutional Settings. Its purpose is to bring a coordinated, cross-sector lens to workforce planning and wellbeing, particularly in high-pressure statutory and frontline service roles.

Roundtable objectives

The roundtable will focus on increasing staff numbers and improving retention, particularly in roles where vacancies are hard to fill. It will also consider how workplace conditions can be improved to make the sector a more attractive employer, especially for those in statutory positions.

A key focus will be reducing unplanned staff vacancies and strengthening system-wide support for staff wellbeing. This includes recognising and addressing the impacts of trauma and vicarious trauma, which are known challenges in many child- and youth-facing roles.

The group will also work to ensure that workers have the training and knowledge they need to respond effectively to the needs of children and families.

Minister Jaensch said the group would produce a report outlining immediate and forecasted workforce challenges, and would develop a suite of actions using proven, evidence-based strategies.

“Our 2030 Strong Plan for Tasmania’s Future ensures the safety and wellbeing of children, young people and their families, which is exactly what this roundtable will strive to achieve,” he said.

Why this matters for early childhood education and care

While the roundtable has a broad remit across child and youth services, its outcomes will have direct implications for Tasmania’s early childhood education and care (ECEC) sector. Persistent workforce shortages, high educator turnover and growing expectations for trauma-informed and inclusive practice mirror challenges faced across all frontline services.

The roundtable’s focus on staff retention, wellbeing and cross-sector collaboration reflects many of the priorities already identified in the ECEC space. Ensuring the early years workforce is recognised, supported and resourced will be key to building the safe, responsive and connected systems that children and families need.