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HIQA Inspections

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 8 March 2018

Thursday, 8 March 2018

Ceisteanna (518)

John McGuinness

Ceist:

518. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs her plans to address the issues raised in the recent HIQA report relative to its findings generally and in particular relative to County Kilkenny; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11432/18]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

I understand that the Deputy is referring to the recently published HIQA Inspection Report of Tusla’s Child Welfare and Protection Service in Carlow, Kilkenny and  South Tipperary. As all three counties were integral to the inspection it is not possible to discuss the finding relating to County Kilkenny separately. I can assure the Deputy that Tusla’s action plan to respond to the findings of the inspection report was published at the same time,  and that this plan  has been accepted by HIQA. Tusla is tracking, monitoring and reviewing the action plan and  I understand that the first report of the quality assurance group shows good evidence of progress to date. 

The inspection report from HIQA on Tusla’s child welfare and protection services in the Carlow, Kilkenny and South Tipperary area looked at the handling of referrals made to these services.

As the Deputy is aware, the report highlights  serious  deficits in how our child welfare and  protection system operates in the Carlow, Kilkenny and South Tipperary area. Nevertheless  I  welcome HIQA’s inspection report as it identifies where we need to improve and, in Tusla's response, how we are to do so.

 The  report noted that the key problems were associated with areas which had staff vacancies, agency graduate social workers and large caseloads. Recruitment of social workers is being actively pursued but it is a highly competitive labour market.  This has resulted in the recruitment of a significant number of social workers but turnover of staff has meant that there was a very small net increase in the total number of social workers.

Since its establishment Tusla has worked with the HSE on recruitment campaigns where it is mutually beneficial to both parties,  and this will continue. At the same time, Tusla has also established its own recruitment function, Tusla Recruit, to work on bespoke campaigns and to shorten recruitment timelines where possible.  Tusla Recruit has taken a very proactive approach with its graduate recruitment campaign in recent years and plans for its 2018 campaign, such as early engagement with students and visits to campuses in Ireland and abroad are already well advanced.

Tusla has also made a public commitment to putting in place measures to improve compliance with national standards in the area of child protection and welfare, and steps have already been taken to improve the systems used in the service.  In particular, the new national practice methodology called “Signs of Safety” is being introduced to improve the depth and quality of the screening and assessments of referrals. 

The National Child Care Information System will be replacing the legacy ICT system and will be rolled out in the Carlow, Kilkenny and South Tipperary area before the end of March 2018.

Relationships with the Gardaí are being strengthened as a notification tracking system is in place and the Joint Working Protocol between An Garda Síochána and Tusla is being implemented.

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