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Child and Family Agency

Dáil Éireann Debate, Friday - 3 December 2021

Friday, 3 December 2021

Questions (25)

Paul McAuliffe

Question:

25. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth his views on an additional 10-15 youth workers, social care workers and family support workers for Ballymun as stated in the Ballymun - a Brighter Future report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59443/21]

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Written answers

The allocation of staff is a matter for Tusla and other service providers in the Ballymun area.

However, I can confirm that Tusla are familiar with the report Ballymun – A Brighter Future, and are engaging in a number of initiatives to improve outcomes for children and young people in the Ballymun area. This work is conducted through the Tusla funded Child and Family Network and the Children and young People’s Service Committee.

At this time of increasing need, Tusla’s work with its partner agencies is key to service delivery in Dublin North City, as is its strong working relationships with the community and voluntary sector.

More broadly, because the Dublin North City area covers Dublin 1, 3, 7, 9 and 11, it is not possible to assign specific Tusla resources exclusively to the Ballymun area. Additionally, the nature of the work in Dublin North City, as in many areas, is complex and the level of turnover in social workers is a matter of concern.

To address these issues, Tusla are operating local initiatives in respect of retention and recruitment, and are actively working to fill vacancies in the area. In particular, Tusla are expanding their Social Work teams with Social Care Workers/Leaders where appropriate and are looking at expanding roles for staff with other qualifications. 

At the same time, a business case for additional posts in the area in 2022, which is based on an analysis of available data, is under consideration. 

Tusla remain committed to providing a quality service to children and families in the Ballymun area; will allocate resources available based on need and will continue to engage proactively with their partners to secure the best outcomes for children and young people.

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