Bhavna, Child Safety Officer

Driven by her passion for helping vulnerable people, Bhavna decided to transition to a career in social work after over a decade in the education sector. Bhavna’s quiet confidence and exceptional empathy are ideal qualities for a Child Safety Officer, and she feels proud to work for the department and make a real impact in the lives of people who need support.

Work that truly matters

Bhavna has dedicated her entire career to helping people. With a lengthy background in education, Bhavna spent many years as a teacher aide and even continued to share her passion for learning outside of school hours through community tutoring.

I’ve always been involved with community work, and I tutored women who had been subjected to domestic violence. Through that work, I really saw the need for advocacy, especially for the women who spoke English as a second language. That was what inspired me to pursue a degree in social work.

Fortunately, the school Bhavna was working in at the time was very supportive, and she dropped back to part-time hours when she began studying in 2018. She completed her degree over six years and undertook two industry placements. The first was very familiar to her - supporting children in a school environment.

Acting as a social worker in a school was really enlightening. It took a much more holistic approach to supporting young people - working collaboratively with guidance officers, teachers and allied health professionals to make sure school is a safe environment for them.

The school placement opened Bhavna's eyes to the number of vulnerable young people in need of support, and her second placement with Child Safety positioned her at the heart of the child protection sector. Bhavna saw the opportunity to make an unparalleled impact on young lives, so, when she completed her placement and was offered a permanent role as a Child Safety Officer (CSO), she decided to go for it.

I didn’t have any intention of working here before I started, but I was really inspired. We work with children who are very vulnerable, and I wanted to be part of an organisation where I could advocate for young people and assist them along their journey. It’s challenging work, but there’s so much support, and that’s what made me want to stay.

Growth through adversity

Although Bhavna is still early in her journey as a CSO, she has learned that every day brings something different. She relishes every new challenge as an opportunity to learn and hone her skills.

I’ve grown so much as a person since being here. I’ve become more resilient, empathetic and a better communicator. Building relationships and trust is the foundation of child protection, and the rapport I’ve built with children, families and stakeholders means they trust me to listen, work alongside them and advocate for them when their voices aren’t able to be heard. I’m proud to be that voice.

Something Bhavna has also learned is that this work is never easy. Through the ups and downs that come with navigating complex family dynamics and making difficult decisions, she’s grateful for the support and supervision offered by her team to keep her going on the more challenging days.

We all have individual supervision sessions each week, and as a team, we catch up every morning to find out how everyone is going and share our experiences. Plus, every Tuesday, we have a learning and support day, which is great for upskilling and strengthening our relationships within the department. There’s so much to learn from one another and from more structured personal development.

Holding onto hope

The valuable skills Bhavna has learned since joining the department extend far beyond her role. She applies her new skillset outside of work to practise self-care and find balance.

Working in child safety is very emotional, so self-care needs to be prioritised. One thing I learned from my placement was how to compartmentalise. As soon as I get home, I try to switch off and not think about work. It also helps to get outside and get fresh air. I live near a beautiful stretch of forest, so I love going for walks, riding my bike and connecting with nature.

No matter what gets thrown at her, Bhavna wouldn’t change her job for the world. She’s inspired by the collective passion of the department’s people to do work that changes lives for the better, and she is excited to keep growing her career here.

Human lives are very complex, and a role as Child Safety Officer brings a lot of emotional - sometimes even physical - stress. You have your up-and-down days, but you learn to have the resilience to pick yourself up and remind yourself of our purpose. We live in hope that the work we do protects our most vulnerable communities, and I feel proud to play my part in fulfilling the department’s vital mission.