Busselton women's refuge staff to reapply for jobs
The Busselton Women’s Refuge will go out of community hands after the Department of Child Protection and Family Support was asked to find another service provider.
The Times understands staff were taken by surprise when the refuge board revealed the decision on Monday, when they were also told they would have to reapply for their jobs.
Busselton Women’s Refuge Inc. Board chairwoman Ann Willis said the new service provider would operate the refuge for a caretaker period of twelve months.
Ms Willis said the service would then go out for tender, as was always intended.
“It was the board’s decision, given it was going to go to tender anyway we thought we may as well hand it over to an experienced service provider now, ” she said.
“We hope the refuge will stay open and will be handed over seamlessly; that’s our intention and our wish.”
Ms Willis said the board believed an experienced service provider would have the contacts and resources to better cope with the needs of the women in the refuge.
However, the Times understands staff are concerned the changes are putting additional stress on vulnerable women and children staying there.
DCPFS acting director general Emma White confirmed the BWRI had advised the City of Busselton they wished to terminate their sub-contractual arrangement to run the refuge.
Ms White said a new service provider was yet to be appointed.
Former Busselton Women’s Refuge steering committee chairwoman Wendy Daw said she was shocked by the news.
“I’m actually devastated it’s going out of community hands, ” she said. “It was never intended to be run by DCP; it was always intended to be run by the community.”
Mrs Daw said businesses had got behind the refuge under the impression that it would be run locally. “I don’t know why it’s happened but maybe it was just too hard for them, ” she said.
Ms Willis said BWRI would continue its connection with the local community by working as ‘Friends of the Refuge’.
“We will continue fundraising and working with the new service provider on projects that will assist the women and children accessing the service, including the potential funding of an outreach service, ” she said.
