Child and Family Agency Data

Wednesday, 11 October 2017

Questions (173)

Róisín Shortall

Question:

173. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of childcare cases awaiting allocation to a social worker in each Tusla local office area, by the priority status of the case and average waiting time, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43195/17]

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Written answers

Minister for Children and Youth Affairs

I can inform the Deputy that there were 26,192 open cases nationally at the end of July which includes children in care. An open case is one which is assessed as needing a dedicated (allocated) social work service. There were 5,524 open cases awaiting allocation of a social worker. Of these, 816 were designated as high priority, 3,609 as medium priority and 1,099 as low priority.

A high priority case can include children needing further child protection assessment and intervention, children involved with child protection court proceedings, children in care for less than 6 months and children with high risk mental health and anti-social difficulties. Many children who are deemed medium and low priority have welfare rather than child protection needs and will engage with family support services.

I am informed by Tusla that a case awaiting allocation may be listed as 'active' on a 'duty' system. This means that there are actions being undertaken by a dedicated duty team or rotating social workers on a duty roster to progress the protection and welfare of the child. Examples of actions being undertaken include telephone calls relating to the concern, visits to see the child, completing initial assessments and, where a child is in care, completing child in care reviews or care plans.

Tusla has provided the following information on the number of cases awaiting allocation to a social worker per administrative area and waiting times. This information is included in the tables below.

Cases awaiting allocation to a social worker July 2017 – numbers and priority level (child protection & welfare and children in care)
Area	Total Cases awaiting allocation	High Priority awaiting allocation	Medium Priority awaiting allocation	Low Priority awaiting allocation
Dublin South East/Wicklow	102	3	81	18
Dublin South West/Kildare/West Wicklow	900	312	533	55
Dublin South Central	191	0	67	124
Midlands	328	48	238	42
Dublin North City	299	0	151	148
Dublin North	490	3	216	271
Louth/Meath	359	63	221	75
Cavan/Monaghan	284	21	222	41
Kerry	78	12	43	23
Cork	689	64	547	78
Carlow/Kilkenny/South Tipperary	384	15	332	37
Waterford / Wexford	318	112	182	24
Donegal	747	89	580	78
Sligo /Leitrim/West Cavan	10	1	6	3
Mayo	0	0	0	0
Galway/Roscommon	200	56	125	19
Midwest	145	17	65	63
Total Cases	5,524	816	3,609	1,099

Cases awaiting allocation to a social worker July 2017 – waiting times by priority level (child protection & welfare and children in care)
Area	High Priority waiting < 3 months	High Priority waiting > 3 months	Medium Priority waiting < 3 months	Medium Priority waiting > 3 months	Low Priority waiting < 3 months	Low Priority waiting > 3 months
Dublin South East/Wicklow	2	1	47	34	3	15
Dublin South West/Kildare/ West Wicklow	30	282	99	434	10	45
Dublin South Central	0	0	37	30	81	43
Midlands	38	10	111	127	28	14
Dublin North City	0	0	64	87	71	77
Dublin North	1	2	70	146	60	211
Louth/Meath	61	2	114	107	46	29
Cavan/Monaghan	8	13	87	135	14	27
Kerry	10	2	43	0	21	2
Cork	42	22	384	163	37	41
Carlow/Kilkenny/South Tipperary	15	0	332	0	37	0
Waterford/Wexford	99	13	155	27	14	10
Donegal	53	36	456	124	13	65
Sligo/Leitrim/West Cavan	1	0	3	3	3	0
Mayo	0	0	0	0	0	0
Galway/Roscommon	41	15	89	36	17	2
Midwest	12	5	40	25	21	42
Total Cases	413	403	2,131	1,478	476	623

Addressing the number of children who are awaiting the allocation of a social worker is a priority for me. I secured additional funding for the purpose of addressing this issue in 2017, and Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, is now in the second year of a 3-year plan to provide for the allocation of a dedicated social worker to all children who need one. The Deputy should note that all urgent and emergency cases notified to Tusla are dealt with immediately. Urgent and emergency cases could involve cases of abandonment, allegations of physical and sexual abuse, parental ill health leading to the need for an immediate placement, or threat to the safety or life of a child by a third party.

My Department will continue to closely monitor progress in this regard and I will continue to engage directly with the Tusla Board and senior management team, over the course of the year, to review progress.