Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 2 July 2015
140. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he will respond to the Health Information and Quality Authority report, Louth Meath Child Protection and Welfare Inspection Report. [26689/15]
View answer143. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of children on the Tusla – Child and Family Agency waiting list for 2014; the finding in the report that there were inadequate and unsafe systems in place to review, monitor and manage waiting lists across the service, to date, in the Louth-Meath area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26758/15]
View answer144. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he will respond to the recent Health Information and Quality Authority child protection and welfare report concerning the Louth-Meath area, with particular reference to the finding that there were unsafe and ineffective systems in place to access and manage actual or potential risks to children from adults of concern living in the community and that risks to some children went unidentified and unmanaged; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26759/15]
View answer145. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he will respond to the recent Health Information and Quality Authority child protection and welfare report concerning the Louth-Meath area, with particular reference to the finding that a significant proportion of children and families did not receive a timely or effective service. [26760/15]
View answer146. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he will respond to the recent Health Information and Quality Authority child protection and welfare report concerning the Louth-Meath area, with particular reference to the finding that of the 27 standards assessed, the service met one standard only and required improvements in 18 standards, while significant risks were identified in eight standards. [26761/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 140 and 143 to 146, inclusive, together.
The inspection report by the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) on the child and welfare services in Louth Meath describes serious concerns regarding the standard of services being provided to children and families in the area. Tusla had notified me on the problems in the services prior to the publication of HIQA’s report and has taken direct ownership of actions to improve the standards of service delivery.
I can report that Tusla has intervened in the area immediately and that actions to improve management, oversight and quality assurance are well underway. They are being led directly at a senior level by the Chief Operations Officer. Additionally, a project social work team is being put in place to deal with the backlog and to assist with the implementation of national guidance and practice for the duration of the special programme.
Tusla submitted an action plan to HIQA to address the recommendations following the inspection and this has been accepted. On the most serious findings, Tusla has completed 22 out of the 46 actions, with the remaining 24 to be completed within dedicated time frames. Of particular importance were the steps taken to ensure all children on the Child Protection Notification System had an allocated social worker and that improvements were made to record keeping and data collection. Progress will be monitored by HIQA and officials in my Department to ensure these are completed.
Issues were highlighted around resources and staffing in Louth Meath. This is being addressed at national level as a matter of urgency. Officials from my Department have already been engaging with Tusla on resources for the remainder of 2015 and into 2016. A submission on staffing and other resource issues is to be made in the near future.
I have been advised that at the end of 2014, there were 1,451 open cases in the Louth Meath area, of which 620 were waiting on the allocation of a social worker. A key issue is the management of cases identified as needing a social worker while they are waiting. HIQA found the Louth Meath system to be poor and rated it as a significant risk. The management of the open cases is now being addressed and new systems have been put in place to review, monitor and manage cases waiting the allocation of a social worker in the Louth Meath area. Improvements to the recording of risks are also being made. A systematic approach piloted successfully at local level is being extended to the whole Louth Meath area. Prioritisation of cases is not solely related to the risk involved and this will continue to be recorded separately. Tusla is engaged in a review at national level on the system of prioritisation and how the recording of risk can be better reported.
In relation to adults of concern in the community, senior managers at local level will undertake the task of reviewing the relevant information, with particular attention to any children that may be currently at risk. Cases where there is an immediate risk are acted on without delay within the Duty Social Work team. Otherwise, the cases will be risk rated and prioritised. Where alternative resources are identified as a need, this is to be escalated to the Principal Social Worker in the first instance, and if necessary to the Area Manager. In addition each county has in place a sex offenders risk management group. This group is to assess the risks associated with convicted adults in the community.
I do not consider the standard that was found in Louth Meath to be acceptable but I am encouraged by the positive and rapid response by Tusla in getting to grips with the problems. It is also important for people to know that the positive aspects of the service were reported as well. There was evidence of good practice and excellent interagency collaboration. Good practice with children and families was observed by inspectors, who also found that many neglect cases were well managed by social workers and children's lives had improved from social work and family support intervention. The majority of initial assessments were of good quality, based on detailed information from key sources and including the clearly expressed views of children. Many children were found to have benefitted from the service.
I have arranged to have regular meetings with Tusla senior management to monitor the significant progress required in this service area. The inspection report indicates that a number of the reforms in the national organisation of the overall service were in evidence. I am determined that these reforms will continue to make improvements to the consistency of positive outcomes for children and families.
