Illawarra Women’s Trauma Recovery Centre Faces Safety Concerns

The following is an abridgement of an article originally posted by ABC News.

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The $25 million Women’s Trauma Recovery Centre (WTRC) in Illawarra, NSW, was officially launched in September 2024 and planned to provide care that was trauma-informed for women who are escaping domestic, family, and sexual violence. However, the project is already facing significant internal challenges. 

Notices by SafeWork NSW

SafeWork NSW issued three improvement notices, finding that the centre exposed staff to psychosocial hazards by failing to provide adequate training on vicarious trauma and imposing excessive workloads. Staff requests for vicarious trauma training were not granted until after media inquiries were made.

SafeWork NSW’s investigation found that workers were at risk of psychological injury due to excessive workloads, poor job clarity, and strained team relationships. The centre lacked appropriate training and policies for managing psychosocial hazards such as bullying and harassment. Management has pledged to comply with the improvement notices and enhance workplace processes.

Staff Departures and Complaints

Seven of the centre’s ten frontline workers resigned just weeks before its opening, explaining that leadership instability and governance issues were prevalent. Former staff have spoken out, expressing concern about the centre's ability to fulfil its mission. 

The staff have reported confusion over leadership, inadequate clinical oversight, and safety risks. Despite warnings from police advising locked doors to prevent potential perpetrators from entering, management directed staff to leave the front door unlocked without conducting a proper risk assessment. According to an anonymised staffer,

"There was no discussion around safety, there was no risk assessment done, it was just overruled."

Ongoing leadership challenges have resulted in staff turnover, disrupting services and distressing clients. Some women seeking help arrived to find their appointments cancelled due to staff departures. According to a former worker,

"If leadership issues aren’t addressed, staff will keep leaving, and clients will suffer."

Former staff formalised their concerns in a letter to the federal Department of Health and Aged Care, urging an independent administrator and leadership overhaul. 

Despite these events, management denied breaching its funding agreement and maintains that the centre is safe for both staff and clients.