Vol. 505 No. 5
38 Ms Shortall asked the Minister for Health and Children the areas in the health services for children where health boards are experiencing staff recruitment and retention difficulties; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14074/99]
Of the health care professionals that provide services for children, the profession of social worker has the most direct contact with children, especially in the area of child protection. Due to the recent rapid developments in this area, health boards have experienced some difficulty in recruiting and retaining suitably qualified social workers. In order to address this problem, an additional 20 college places were made available for social work students in the 1995-96 academic year and this increase has since been maintained.
Labour Court Recommendation 15515 recommended the setting up of an expert group to look at a range of issues relevant to paramedical grades in general. Social workers and child care workers are two of the professions being addressed by this group, and the terms of reference of the group include recruitment and retention. Difficulties in relation to this area were outlined at hearings of the group.
As a means of addressing the issue, health service employers have given a commitment to establish formal links with the training colleges and are prepared to enter into discussions about manpower planning for the main paramedical professions, all of which are directly involved in the provision of health care to children. The relevant professional bodies will be invited to take part in the process. The Higher Education Authority and the Departments of Education and Science and Finance will also be involved, and at present a suitable mechanism is being sought which will allow maximum participation of the interested parties.
