Social Policy Planning Unit (1975 - 1990?)

The Social Policy Planning Unit employed a Unit Supervisor, a clerical officer, and two project officers. The Supervisor undertook a 15 week course in social planning at the Department of Social Studies, Melbourne University, shortly after taking up the position.

The Unit investigated the following projects:

• To increase the numbers of honorary child welfare officers in order to involve the community in the supervision of children
• To develop an alternative to institutional care for adolescents considered to be delinquent
• To provide families with budgeting advice
• To establish a home help and homemaker service
• To write information sheets about the Department's activities
• To revise and up-date the child welfare officers' manual and make it more accessible
• To form a student unit within the Department to provide practical experience for social work students at the Tasmanian College of Advanced Education
• To work out a scheme for increasing recruitments
• To investigate staffing requirements and devise a program for the proposed Remand and Assessment Centre

A grant from the Commonwealth government enabled the establishment of the Social Policy Planning Unit. In 1976, the Commonwealth withdrew the grant. The State government decided to fund it instead.