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Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 9 Oct 2001

Vol. 541 No. 4

Other Questions. - Child Care Services.

Michael Bell

Question:

107 Mr. Bell asked the Minister for Education and Science the steps he will take to address the shortage of child care workers within the child care centres; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22981/01]

I understand that the Deputy is referring to the operation of the five special schools for young offenders under the aegis of my Department. They are Trinity House, Oberstown, Lusk, County Dublin; Oberstown Boys Centre, Oberstown, Lusk, County Dublin; Oberstown Girls Centre, Oberstown, Lusk, County, Dublin; Finglas Child and Adolescent Centre, Kildonan Road, Finglas West, Dublin 11, and St. Joseph's Special School, Ferryhouse, Clonmel, County Tipperary.

In common with many other employers, these centres have been experiencing some difficulties in recruiting and retaining suitable staff over the past year or so. The experience of the centres in this regard has been mirrored throughout the residential child care sector as a whole. In the health sector, for example, there have been considerable difficulties in filling vacancies in the new residential care facilities being developed by the regional health authorities.

The larger variety of career opportunities for both potential and existing staff brought about by growth in the economy generally and the expansion of the child care sector particularly have been a major contributory factor giving rise to these difficulties. This has been typified by the larger than normal turnover of staff at these centres in the past year as some existing and experienced staff left to take up career opportunities either elsewhere in the child care sector or in related areas. In this regard the Deputy will be aware that the child care workers' salaries are governed by pay scales agreed in accordance with national pay agreements and Government pay policy.

The centres in question, in addition to having a complement of sanctioned permanent staff posts, also have recourse to other staffing options such as the use of temporary and relief staff and overtime for operational purposes as needs arise.

However, quite positively, the management of the centres have informed my Department that recent advertising and recruitment drives to fill vacant posts at the centres have generated a somewhat better level of response than heretofore. Management anticipate being able to fill the bulk of existing vacancies from recruitment drives currently under way at the centres.

I assure the House that we are fully aware of the responsibilities of the centres in meeting the needs of the courts in this area and of the children referred to the centres by the courts. Officials from the Department are meeting with the management of these centres within the next week. I met some of the directors yesterday to get progress reports. The management will be seeing how staffing levels currently stand and we will hear their proposals for ensuring that appropriate staffing numbers are maintained and that operational capacity is maximised on an ongoing basis.

I have also commissioned an independent review of the existing residential service provision under the Department of Education and Science with a view to ensuring that available places are being used optimally. The outcome of this review will inform future plans in this area.

With all due respect I think the Minister of State's reply is somewhat disingenuous. Does she accept that it is intolerable that one in four child care places is closed due to staff shortages? Many of us are aware of the inadequate provision in relation to residential care. I have come across a number of cases in the past couple of years where children, after a lengthy court case, who have been sentenced to a residential facility are not being catered for because there are no places. It is easy to argue that the current provision of 100 places is completely inadequate given the increase in—

A question please, Deputy Shortall.

Does the Minister of State find it unacceptable that one in four of those places is currently closed because of staff shortages? Does she not accept that one of the main reasons for the high turnover of staff in the past year – I think it is about a 30% turnover in staff – is that the Minister of State in attempting to deal with the problem of facilities in health boards and increasing the pay rates – there is now a differential of about £5,000 – has contributed to the difficult situation in detention centres, that there is a need to bring pay scales within education up to the same level as those which apply in the health boards and that that is the kernel of the problem?

The reduction in the number of places in these centres has as much to do with the capital redevelopment programme as it has with staff shortages. Of the 164 child care workers who are sanctioned for these centres, there are just 21.5 vacancies. As I said, it is anticipated that the bulk of these will be filled by the current recruitment drive. There is, however, a number of facilities which are out of commission because of the capital development programme, and that is true of Trinity House, Oberstown Boys Centre and Oberstown Girls Centre where—

How many?

—for example, in Oberstown Boys Centre, the third unit is expected to reopen shortly having been closed on a phased basis. Remedial works will be undertaken in Oberstown Girls Centre—

How many?

Deputy Shortall should allow the Minister of State to speak without interruption.

The Deputy will be aware of the situation in Finglas where again remedial work had to be undertaken. The number of places is down but it has as much to do with remedial health and safety works and redevelopment as it has to staffing.

On pay for child care workers, there was always a differential between the two centres because one was linked to the teachers whereas the other was linked to the health care workers. Talks have taken place with IMPACT and SIPTU in the context of the national pay agreement and Government policy in relation to the payment of child care workers within the education sector.

How much money is spent by the Department of Health or the Department of Education on an annual basis in providing accommodation in five star hotels for young offenders? If this money was channelled into the mainstream service, would we not be in a position to recruit the staff at the appropriate level of remuneration which would ensure they would stay in the service longer and thereby ensure that the number of places required would become available?

Will the Minister of State be specific about the figures because IMPACT does not concur with her reading of the situation? Currently 24 places are closed. How many of those closures are due to staff shortages and how many are due to the building programme?

At all stages the health boards have to work in the best interests of the child and have to provide places which ensure the child is kept safely. Millions of pounds are going into the capital redevelopment programme of both the Department of Health and Children and the Department of Education and Science which, as I said, has led to a pressure on the service, particularly in Oberstown Boys Centre and in Oberstown Girls Centre where they are not working to full capacity. Equally, because of health and safety and the increasing needs in the Finglas centre, it is underused at the moment. It would be wrong to say that it is only the reduction in the number of staff, which is 21.5 out of 164 sanctioned, that is leading to the problems in the use of places. I am confident that arising from the review that is taking place and the establishment of the residential services board, we will see a better co-ordination of the use of places between all the facilities for children at risk.

Written Answers follow Adjournment Debate.

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