Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 9 March 2017
366. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of children currently in care; the number in care without an allocated social worker, broken down by local area; the steps being taken to address this problem; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12527/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe most recent figures provided by Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, indicate that there were 6,258 children in care at the end of December 2016, which is a decrease of 2% compared with the previous year. Of the children in care, 93% were in foster care nationally. Tusla has indicated that there were 453 children in care awaiting the allocation of a social worker at the end of 2016. The following table shows the breakdown by administrative areas at the end of December 2016.
|
Administrative Areas: December 2016 |
Number of children in care |
Number of children in care with an allocated aftercare worker |
Number of children in care awaiting an allocated aftercare worker |
|
Dublin South Central |
383 |
383 |
0 |
|
Dublin South East/Wicklow |
287 |
277 |
10 |
|
Dublin South West/Kildare/West Wicklow |
440 |
404 |
36 |
|
Midlands |
397 |
355 |
42 |
|
Dublin North City |
611 |
587 |
24 |
|
Dublin North |
326 |
303 |
23 |
|
Louth/Meath |
396 |
332 |
64 |
|
Cavan/Monaghan |
152 |
144 |
8 |
|
Cork |
858 |
834 |
24 |
|
Kerry |
152 |
151 |
1 |
|
Carlow /Kilkenny/South Tipperary |
366 |
332 |
44 |
|
Waterford/Wexford |
427 |
406 |
21 |
|
Mid West |
596 |
487 |
109 |
|
Galway/Roscommon |
414 |
357 |
57 |
|
Mayo |
134 |
134 |
0 |
|
Donegal |
216 |
216 |
0 |
|
Sligo/Leitrim/West Cavan |
103 |
103 |
0 |
|
Total |
6,258 |
5,805 |
453 |
It is a key priority for me to address the number of children who are without an allocated social worker. I secured additional funding for this purpose in 2017, and Tusla is now in the second year of a 3-year plan to ensure that a social worker is allocated to all children and young people who need one. It is important to emphasise that, as Tusla's 3-year plan to address unallocated cases continues, all urgent cases are dealt with immediately and do not simply go on a waiting list. I will continue to engage directly with the Tusla Board and senior management team, over the course of the year, to review progress.
