Pay boost for workers to fix 'broken' child protection

But starting pay rates for new caseworkers will get a much-larger increase, rising by $8283 in the current financial year.

"Child-protection caseworkers have one of the most challenging and important jobs in the world, keeping vulnerable children safe," NSW Families Minister Kate Washington said on Wednesday.

Families Minister Kate Washington hailed the deal as a way to entice more staff into the sector. (Bianca De Marchi/AAP PHOTOS)

"I have seen firsthand the incredible difference these workers make to children and families and I hope that this agreement will encourage more caseworkers to take up positions with (the government)."

As part of the new agreement, all child-protection workers will receive a minimum four per cent rise and a 0.5 per cent superannuation bump, backdated to the start of July.

Caseworkers walked off the job earlier in 2024, demanding better conditions, saying severe staff shortages were resulting in burnout.

The action came after the state's child-protection services were labelled ineffective and unsustainable in a damning auditor-general's report.

A lack of staff led to caseworkers seeing only a quarter of children reported to be at risk of serious harm, official data showed.

"When we came into government, we inherited a broken child-protection system with a workforce walking out the door because they hadn't felt valued in years," Ms Washington said.

Under the agreement with the union, a standalone child protection workers' classification will be established and talks will begin on updating role descriptions and conditions.

A three-year pay deal is due to be made for 2025/26 onwards under a new award after the talks, the state government said.

Labor has offered all NSW public-sector staff a blanket 10.5 per cent pay rise over three years, including mandatory superannuation increase, well short of the increases sought by several unions representing key frontline workers.