3/7/09 QLD: Child protection officer sues over job horror

A FORMER child protection officer is suing the State Government for almost $1 million after developing a "severe" psychiatric illness from dealing with death threats, suicides, abuse and pedophiles almost daily. In what is believed to be one of few cases of its kind, new graduate Louise Jane Leigh, 47, filed for damages after less than two years working as a child protection officer with the Pine Rivers Child Safety Office and in the freedom of information section of the Department of Child Safety. Mrs Leigh has been in and out of hospital since leaving the department in November 2004, after being diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder and major depression. In documents filed with the Brisbane registry of the Supreme Court, Mrs Leigh alleges she repeatedly raised fears about her safety and physical and emotional health with two supervisors but was not offered appropriate support or counselling. Ms Leigh detailed six cases that particularly affected her: • The discovery, by reading a file, that a friend and church worker had sexually abused a child. • Became too emotionally involved in the case of a special needs boy, 11, whose mother had died of cancer and whose stepfather, who had a lengthy criminal history, was often threatening and intimidating. The child blamed her for separation from his stepfather and once tried to steer her car off the road, saying he wanted to kill her. • Facilitating contact between a paranoid schizophrenic man, with convictions for indecent conduct, and his two young children. He later killed himself and his partner, and she had to tell the children of the deaths. • Being almost stabbed with a screwdriver by a boy. • A "psychotic" mother visited the office and assaulted her own daughter. • Dealing with pedophiles and reading victim impact statements and details of crimes while working in the freedom of information section. Solicitor Melissa Payne, of Maurice Blackburn, said Mrs Leigh's illness had affected her husband and four children emotionally, physically and financially for more than five years. A Department of Communities spokeswoman yesterday said that although she could not comment on the court case, the department acknowledged the work could be traumatic and emotionally demanding with regular threats to personal safety. Source: Courier Mail