Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 5 April 2017
354. Deputy Tony McLoughlin asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the resources available to her Department to meet the anticipated demands of children at risk here, especially in counties Sligo and Leitrim; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16903/17]
View answer356. Deputy Tony McLoughlin asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the average time taken to investigate cases of children at risk of the various forms of abuse; the degree to which a systemic response is in place to deal with such issues here, and especially in counties Sligo and Leitrim; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16905/17]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 354 and 356 together.
Children First National Guidance (2011) gives advice for notifying Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, of situations where abuse is suspected. A range of professionals including teachers, nurses, early years educators, Gardaí and other health professionals, who see children regularly, are in a good position to identify children at risk. Where someone has reasonable grounds for suspecting a child is being, or has been, abused, they are expected to immediately contact Tusla. The Children First Act, 2015, once it is fully commenced, will place a statutory obligation on key professionals (mandated persons) to report concerns of harm above a defined threshold to Tusla without delay. It is my intention that these provisions will be commenced by the end of 2017.
The latest breakdown of referrals available relate to quarter 3, 2016 and there was a total of 181 referrals received in the Sligo/Leitrim/West Cavan administrative area during that period. Each referral received by Tusla is assessed and dealt with on an individual basis by the relevant social work team. Approximately 60% of referrals to Tusla are of a child welfare concern with the remaining 40% related to child protection concerns. Tusla's policy is to refer child welfare referrals to relevant family and community support services. At any stage, if a determination is made that there is abuse, whether physical, emotional, sexual or neglect, from which there is an ongoing risk of significant harm, the child protection pathway is followed. In a minority of cases this may lead to the child being placed on the Child Protection Notification System (CPNS) or the child being received into care. At the end of 2016, there was a total of 42 children listed as active on the CPNS in the Sligo/Leitrim/West Cavan area.
At the end of January 2017, there were 101 children in care in the Sligo/Leitrim/West Cavan administrative area. I am pleased to advise that every child in care in Sligo/Leitrim/West Cavan had an allocated social worker. Tusla has advised that there are 9 registered residential care centres in the Sligo/Leitrim/West Cavan area. Children placed in these centres include children from other geographic locations, especially from the greater Dublin area.
Tusla provides me with information on a monthly and quarterly basis outlining the increasing demands for their services, and how they are dealing with children awaiting services. This information provides me with the information needed to assess how well we are supporting vulnerable children. Also, the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA), inspects Tusla child welfare and protection services, statutory children’s residential care centres and foster care services while Tusla inspects children’s residential centres run by the private and voluntary sectors.
This valuable and detailed information continues to inform the Department and Tusla in the business planning needed to maintain and further enhance the range of services for the care and protection of children. Tusla is currently engaged in the second year of a three year recruitment programme to expand the cohort of social workers, social care workers and business support staff. I have secured additional funding for Tusla to enable this to happen and the current and capital Exchequer funding provided for Tusla is some €713 million in 2017.
