Seeing children return home to their parents’ arms, and supporting families to safely care for their children are rich rewards for Ciarne Tomlinson’s toils as a social worker.

As we mark World Social Work Day (17 March), the Department for Child Protection is celebrating the important work carried out by social workers across the state, including Ciarne, who grew up in the South-East.

Ciarne won a role at the agency’s Mount Gambier office following a social work placement and paid stint in one of the department’s Adelaide-based teams.

“When I got my placement at DCP, I was very excited to be able to start working with families and supporting them to maintain a safe household,” she said.

“It was a really confronting experience – understanding the intergenerational trauma and how that impacts families, was hard to come to terms with.

“I originally wanted to do psychology, but I went to university and realised … I wanted to do more hands-on work and really support people in the community who have been disadvantaged – and that’s when I decided to change over to social work.”

Ciarne works in Mount Gambier’s Assessment Support Protective Intervention (ASPI) team, investigating child protection concerns, meeting with families and doing family preservation work.

That can involve linking families with therapeutic supports in a range of areas, from domestic and family violence supports, to financial assistance, drug and alcohol diversion programs and mental health services.

“It can be really rewarding, especially when you finish the intervention work and see the family doing well and out in the community and getting involved in things they may not have gotten involved in before,” she says.

“Seeing children…thriving, learning new skills and building positive connections and relationships is quite rewarding.”

World Social Work Day highlights the vital role social workers play in bringing people together across communities, cultures and systems to shape a more inclusive and sustainable future.

Department for Child Protection Chief Executive Jackie Bray said the agency’s social workers showed professionalism, expertise and compassion, helping achieve better outcomes for families.

“Their work is complex and can at times be heartbreaking,” she said.

“They provide a listening ear for children and young people, putting their best interests at the centre of all they do, and they walk alongside families, supporting them to create safe home environments. I simply can’t thank them enough for all they do to support families across South Australia.”