Tusla prepares an Absence Management Plan for each child in care. In the case of Separated Children Seeking International Protection (SCSIPs) and Unaccompanied Minors (UAMs), absence management plans are completed on the day of placement by the Tusla SCSIP Intake and Assessment Team.
The Joint Protocol between An Garda Síochána and Tusla sets out how social workers and social care workers should make a report of a missing child in care. The Gardaí have primary responsibility for investigating once a child is reported missing. Throughout the Garda investigation, Tusla staff and carers maintain regular contact with the Gardaí, pass on all relevant information and assist in the safe return of the child. The Joint Protocol is currently being reviewed and updated.
I understand that most of the children and young people reported missing return to their placement after a brief period of time. It is important to note that where a child is absent from their residential care placement for more than 15 minutes they may be reported as ‘missing’ from care under the Joint Protocol. This could be for a range of reasons, such as missing their curfew or not returning to their placement at an agreed time. In addition, some UAMs who go missing from care communicate their intention to travel on to other countries to join family members, and some indicate that it was never their intention to remain in Ireland and leave soon after they arrive in the country. Nonetheless, for those who do not subsequently make Tusla aware of their whereabouts, these young people are counted as missing and Tusla notifies AGS accordingly.
For those children who are in the care of Tusla regardless of whether the setting is privately run, there are safeguarding measures in place. These include Tusla’s Practice Assurance and Service Management (PASM) team alongside the Alternative Care Inspection Monitoring Service (ACIMS), which support Tulsa’s local social work and regional teams through a schedule of intelligence-led monitoring visits to individual private providers. Tusla completes monitoring visits to SEAs in each of the six Tusla regions and to the National Service for SCSIPs. The purpose of these visits is to provide an assurance that an acceptable temporary arrangement is in place. A particular emphasis of these visits is to meet and consult with the young people in these arrangements to ensure their views are gathered and considered, to assess if there are any safety concerns for the children and young people, and to advise where service improvement is required.
Tusla has advised that, where any concerns are identified, the Agency takes immediate and swift action to address them directly with the provider in order to come to a resolution that is in the best interest of the children and young people in care. Where issues and concerns have been identified, service improvement measures have, and continue to be, put in place. Where any safeguarding concerns are identified on a PASM monitoring visit, these are escalated to operational teams for immediate action, and identified significant risks are escalated to the relevant regional management, and/or the Agency’s Executive Management Team for follow-up as appropriate.
Tusla has, in the past year, identified private providers who have not met its standards with respect to validated staff training, qualifications, references and vetting and the Agency subsequently ceased engaging with them as providers. Where Tusla has a significant cause for concern, such as a case of suspected fraud or serious wrongdoing, Tusla will refer it to An Garda Síochána (AGS).
Finally, Tusla has informed me that it is currently finalising a Standard Operating Procedure for SEAs for SCSIPs.
