Sorca Clarke
Question:271. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the role HIQA occupies in the provision of safe and effective services provided by social workers. [36931/21]
View answerThursday, 8 July 2021
Questions (271)
Written answers
The Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA), set up by the Department of Health and independent in its functions, was established to drive high-quality and safe care for people using health and social care services in Ireland.
In relation to my Department, HIQA is authorised, under Section 69 of the Child Care Act 1991, as amended by Section 26 of the Child Care (Amendment) Act 2011, to inspect child protection and foster cares services and Tusla children's residential services and to register Special Care Units.
It is important to note that social workers working in Tusla, in both management and practice are responsible for the planning and delivery of a wide range of child welfare and protection services and services to children in the community and in care, including emergency and urgent referrals that occur out of hours.
Over recent years Tusla social workers are responding to a demand led service with an increasing number of referrals annually, and growing calls to provide additional and more targeted services to groups of vulnerable children in society, for example children in direct provision and homeless hubs. Tusla are also asked to become involved with children known to criminal justice agencies and children with complex disabilities.
Tusla’s 17 operational areas are all inspected regularly by HIQA, as are a number of private foster care services which also employ social workers. While HIQA does not have a role in commenting on individual social work practice they have found that the majority of child protection and foster care teams provide a high or good level of service. Inspectors regularly comment in reports that social workers and other Tusla staff demonstrate a commitment to their work and a desire to see positive outcomes for children and families. Well performing areas are inspected through a quality assurance methodology. HIQA and Tusla have identified a minority of areas that do not meet standards to an adequate level and Tusla have dedicated action plans to improve these services. HIQA have identified that, in some areas, the social work resource, by way of numbers, stability or experience, is not in a position to adequately meet the demand for the service. HIQA adopt a proportionate approach to risk, and inspect areas that are not meeting standards more frequently.
HIQA publishes inspection reports which are reviewed by my Department as part of a more general root cause analysis of services. It is important that, in conjunction with Tusla and other agencies, we identify what part policy, resources and local management contribute to the standard of services for vulnerable children and act on these findings. Indeed, my department recently brought together all the key stakeholders in this regard, HIQA included, at a roundtable meeting to ensure that we harness the collective learning and apply this to policy and practice.
HIQA plays a vital role in providing assurance regarding Tusla services and their work has contributed to service improvements. With regard to Social Work practice, Irish social workers are required to register with CORU, Ireland's multi-profession health regulator. CORU promotes high standards of professional conduct, education and training, and competence through the registration of health and social care professionals. Where there is concern in relation to a particular social worker, CORU's complaints process is referred to as Fitness to Practise. Fitness to practice is concerned with those issues that affect a person's ability to practise in their profession, not just in their current job. This includes professional misconduct and poor professional performance. More information on making a complaint with CORU can be found here:
coru.ie/public-protection/fitness-to-practise/how-to-make-a-complaint-service-user-member-of-the-public-/