The latest figures I have to hand from the Child and Family Agency, Tusla, indicates that, on 31st December 2015, there were 6,388 children in care. Almost 93% of children in care were in a foster care setting. Of all children in care, over 93% (5,937) had an allocated social worker. Tusla's policy is that all children coming into care and those in high risk placements have an allocated social worker. Subsequent gaps may be attributed to a number of factors including maternity leave, vacancies and competing priorities.
Where a child is awaiting the allocation of a social worker, this is responded to by a social work duty team on a risk management basis. During this time, work with the child and their family may be undertaken by the social work team leader or social workers in the duty system. Some of these children may have had an allocated social worker, but due to a social worker leaving, they are reclassified as awaiting a social worker. The increased budget for Tusla for 2016 should result in higher levels of children in care having an allocated social worker.
My officials have engaged with Tusla regarding local areas with a high number of children in care without an allocated social worker, and the steps that are being taken, as a priority, to remedy this situation.
The following table represents the data available as at 31 December 2015.
|
Area
|
No. of Children in Care
|
No. of Children in Care without Allocated Social Worker
|
% of Children in Care without Allocated Social Worker
|
|
Dublin South Central
|
393
|
15
|
4%
|
|
Dublin South East/ Wicklow
|
306
|
0
|
0%
|
|
Dublin South West/ Kildare/ West Wicklow
|
461
|
77
|
17%
|
|
Midlands
|
371
|
34
|
9%
|
|
DUBLIN MID-LEINSTER TOTAL
|
1,531
|
126
|
8%
|
|
Dublin City North
|
625
|
25
|
4%
|
|
Dublin North
|
331
|
22
|
7%
|
|
Louth/ Meath
|
390
|
0
|
0%
|
|
Cavan/ Monaghan
|
170
|
0
|
0%
|
|
DUBLIN NORTH EAST TOTAL
|
1,516
|
47
|
3%
|
|
Cork
|
899
|
39
|
4%
|
|
Kerry
|
145
|
0
|
0%
|
|
Carlow/ Kilkenny/South Tipperary
|
382
|
51
|
13%
|
|
Waterford/Wexford
|
447
|
23
|
5%
|
|
SOUTH TOTAL
|
1,873
|
113
|
6%
|
|
Mid West (Clare, Limerick & North Tipperary)
|
605
|
113
|
19%
|
|
Galway/ Roscommon
|
407
|
8
|
2%
|
|
Mayo
|
136
|
0
|
0%
|
|
Donegal
|
210
|
44
|
21%
|
|
Sligo/ Leitrim/ West Cavan
|
110
|
0
|
0%
|
|
WEST TOTAL
|
1,468
|
165
|
11%
|
|
NATIONAL TOTAL
|
6,388
|
451
|
7%
|
I am pleased to inform the Deputy that the number of children in care in the Galway/Roscommon area without a social worker has decreased from 47 children in October to 8 children in December 2015. While this is currently below the target of 100% of children in care with an allocated social worker, the decrease seen is a trend that I hope to see continue. Further information on the staffing in the area will be directly provided to the Deputy.
