Vol. 525 No. 2
161 Mr. Wall asked the Minister for Health and Children if, in view of the acute shortage of social workers and further to the report of the national social work qualifications board of July 2000, he will outline the action he is taking to increase the supply of practice placements in order that this major obstacle to the training of social workers can be removed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24577/00]
I am aware of the report of the national social work qualifications board of July 2000 which provides baseline information on social work posts in Ireland, based on a survey of the position as of 1 September 1999. The survey found that there was not enough social workers to fill the anticipated number of new posts that will be created over the coming years, and that an increase in the number of graduates from professional social work courses will be required. Officials of my Department have been in discussions with the board over the past number of months with a view to planning how this deficit can be best addressed. A meeting will take place this month between officials of my Department and those in the Department of Education and Science and the Higher Education Authority to further progress the issue.
I point out to the Deputy that the intake to the relevant courses in Trinity College, Dublin, and University College, Cork, was increased by 20 places in October 1995 and that this increased intake has been maintained each year since. A bachelor of social work was introduced by the National University of Ireland, Cork, University College, Cork, with effect from the 1999-2000 academic year, with an intake of 18 students.
The national social work qualifications board report outlines how any increase in training places is intrinsically linked to practice placement opportunities. Officials of my Department are undertaking an audit of all health service employers with a view to ascertaining the potential among employers to increase the number of practice placement places and the resource implications of such an increase. It is hoped that the results of this audit will be available this month.
The national social work qualifications Board is investigating the potential for increasing the number of placement places in other sectors, that is, local authority and probation services. It is also in discussions with the relevant training colleges with a view to identifying how the practice placement structure can be improved upon.
