There are approximately 5,860 children in the care of the State, with almost 90% of these children are being cared for by foster carers, enabling them to live in a safe, secure, and stable home environment.
Solutions to the challenges faced by children and foster carers in accessing therapeutic services and other specialist services for children in care, are a key priority for Tusla.
Tusla has advised that they recently engaged with foster carers in a consultation to inform the development of a Strategic Plan for Foster Care 2022 -2025. Through this consultation, foster carers provided Tusla with detailed information in relation to the challenges faced by those within the foster care system in accessing therapeutic services and other specialist services. To that end, and in order to enhance the quality and consistency of care to children, Tusla has advised that they are actively investing in enhancing therapeutic services across the system.
In addition, Tusla’s Strategic Plan for Foster Care will also seek to promote consistency in service provision geographically, including access to therapy provision and dental care provision.
I have been informed that work is currently underway across each of Tusla’s six geographic regions to promote equity of access, consistency of practice, and standardisation. Tusla is currently in the process of recruiting multi-disciplinary therapeutic teams across the country.
It is intended that this will lead to Tusla’s ability to respond to the therapeutic needs of children in care in a more timely manner. In the interim, Tusla has advised that it will continue to ensure that those within the foster care system are supported in accessing the required services, in either the public and/or the private sector.
In discharging its responsibilities, Tusla has stated that it is committed to ensuring that services are applied in an equitable and consistent manner, to ensure that children and young people in foster families receive the best possible level of care and support.
Should the Deputy have any specific information in relation to areas whereby specific foster carers are experiencing variation in practice, Tusla has informed me that it would welcome further information and the opportunity to address these inconsistencies.
