Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 15 April 2015
439. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of incidents of child abuse of a physical, psychological or sexual nature, reported directly or indirectly to his Department or bodies under his aegis in the past year to date; the degree to which it has been found possible to respond quickly and adequately; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14904/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra440. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of incidents of children at risk brought to the attention of his Department in the past year to date; the degree to which adequate support or other resolution has been found in all such cases; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14905/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra441. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the extent to which the number of children at risk through poverty or homelessness in the past 12 months has been identified or brought to the attention of his Department; the actions taken to address such issues; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14906/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra443. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the extent to which the welfare of children in State care continues to be monitored by his Department; the degree of any issues emerging and requiring attention; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14908/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra445. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of incidents in respect of which children with a tendency to self-harm are being brought to the attention of his Department in the past 12 months; if adequate support services have been made available in such circumstances; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14910/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra446. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the degree to which children or young adults in respect of whom protection orders have been made, have been reported to his Department in the past 12 months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14911/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 439 to 441, inclusive, 443, 445 and 446 together.
As part of governance arrangements, the Child and Family Agency, Tusla, provides my Department with regular performance activity reports for monitoring purposes. These include figures showing the number of referrals which are disaggregated by welfare concerns and abuse concerns. The most recent validated figures for referrals to hand are up to the third quarter of 2014. Tusla has stated that, subject to validation, the total of referrals for 2014 shows that there were 43,126 reports of child protection and welfare concerns received by Tusla.
Not all referrals will result in a need for a social work service or in a child being received into care and approximately 50% can be expected to proceed from preliminary enquiry to the initial assessment stage. The most recent figures for welfare concerns and abuse concerns at the end of third quarter of 2014, showed 14,112 abuse concern referrals and 18,575 welfare concern referrals (to the end of September 2014). The referrals of a child abuse concern were reported as: Physical (19%), Emotional (34%), Sexual (17%) and Neglect (30%). Of these referrals, 55% of abuse concerns and 42% of welfare concerns went forward to the initial assessment stage. Tusla reported that of the referrals received in the third quarter of 2014, 94% of referrals received a preliminary enquiry and 49% of initial assessments were completed by the end of the quarter. Assesments can be complex and dynamic, and some consideration needs to be given to the end of quarter figures so that they adequately reflect the work that has been achieved in each case.
Tusla has provided my Department with monthly figures of the number of children in care for all of 2014. At the close of 2014, the number of children in care was reported as 6,463 children, of whom 93% were in a foster care setting. The number of children in care represents 23% of the total of 27,651 open cases reported by Tusla at the end of the year. Of the total number of open cases at the end of 2014, 19,300 had an allocated social worker and 8,351 were waiting to be allocated a social worker. The number of cases waiting to be allocated a social worker is an issue that is being addressed by Tusla. This figure has reduced by over 14% over the full year of 2014.
Tusla has responsibilities to promote the welfare of children who are not receiving adequate care and protection, with regard to the principle that, where possible, it is in the best interests of the child to be brought up in their own family. Tusla does not have statutory responsibilities for services which may be availed of by children and families in the normal course of events. Responsibility for policy in relation to the treatment and support for young people with mental health problems, and those requiring medical care as a result of self-harm, rests with the Department of Health. In relation to homelessness, I informed the House earlier today on how Tusla is engaging on the issue. The statutory responsibility for the accommodation needs where the family is homeless, and the children are in the care of their parents, is with the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government and the local authorities.
Where there are reasonable grounds for concern for a child's welfare and protection, Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, should always be informed. This has been Tusla's responsibility since its establishment in January 2014. My Department receives regular reports on the number of referrals and the outcomes that result. In addition to the rigorous governance arrangements with Tusla, my Department also reviews the findings of a number of independent bodies, including the Health Information and Quality Authority inspection reports, reports on child deaths and serious incidents from the independently chaired National Review Panel and also reports from the Ombudsman for Children. My Department also maintains contact with the non-governmental bodies on issues within the sector, including, for example, the Children's Rights Alliance, and the Irish Foster Care Association. This is in addition to the day to day monitoring of children who may be at risk or children in care that is carried out by Tusla as part of its responsibilities under the Child Care Act 1991, as amended, and the Child and Family Agency Act 2013.
