Where Tusla has evidence of a serious risk to children, Tusla's early years inspectorate brings this to the attention of social work services. This is a requirement under the Children First Act 2015 and in such instances parents are informed. As the independent statutory regulator, Tusla's early years inspectorate employs a risk-rating system for all early years services. This system informs inspection scheduling and levels of oversight and scrutiny of a service. A critical status on Tusla's risk-rating system implies a high and intensive level of scrutiny by Tusla's national review and enforcement panel. It does not imply that children attending these services are at risk, or that they should be removed from the service.
I understand that having limited information available with regard to a service's current status may be a cause of frustration and concern for parents. However, I share Tusla's concern about the implications for parents, children and services, including causing undue worry among parents, if Tusla were to inform parents whenever a service is categorised as critical. The reasons for this categorisation can be varied and do not necessarily imply a child is at risk. Tusla's national review and enforcement panel meets approximately every two weeks, and services are de-escalated whenever concerns are addressed.
The number of services at critical status changes continuously as the inspection process proceeds and as services react to Tusla's concerns. For example, of the 37 services described as critical at the Joint Committee on Children and Youth Affairs on 31 July last, 18 had been de-escalated by 1 October and their cases closed.
While parents have a legitimate interest in knowing the findings of inspections, a service's registration status and the outcomes of legal proceedings, there is also a need to give service providers the right to correct potential inaccuracies in inspection reports prior to publication. Tusla publishes inspection reports as soon as due process has been followed.