Missing Children in care is an issue which covers both mainstream services for children in the care of Tusla and also SSCIP /separated children. However, the issue of children in care going missing long term is an issue that relates predominantly to SCSIP. This is a European-wide phenomenon in respect of separated children and unaccompanied minors.
I share the wider public concern about the increased risk of child and human trafficking, particularly in the context of increased people movement globally. My Department and Tusla work closely on the safeguarding framework for all children in care to ensure that it continues to be sufficiently robust to protect children from evolving risks.
Currently there are 19 children missing from care in Tusla’s Separated Children Seeking International Protection (SCSIP) service and 12 children are missing from mainstream care. Tusla report that most of children who go missing return to care.
Children reported missing from care are recognised as being among the most vulnerable in society. Tusla along with An Garda Síochána work together on such cases through a Joint Protocol. This protocol sets out how social workers and social care workers should make a report of a missing child in care, when and how information about the child may be released to the public if the child is not located, and arrangements for the return of the child to care when they are found.
If social work or social care staff determine that a child is missing they must report the child as missing to An Garda Siochána in line with the Joint Protocol. The Gardaí have primary responsibility for investigating once a child is reported missing and throughout the Garda investigation, Tusla staff and carers maintain regular contact with the Gardaí, pass on all relevant information and assist in the safe return of the child.
Tusla has also advised that they prepare an Absence Management Plan for each child in care. This plan is a tool to manage the risk in the event of a child going missing.?? It aims to ensure that children are given age-appropriate curfews/coming in times which reflect their ability to keep themselves safe when they are unsupervised within the community.? Interventions following incidents are focused on the individual child, the care placements and/or “pull” factors in the community following which, the Absence Management Plan for the young person may be reviewed to ensure the ongoing safety and wellbeing of the young person.
In 2020 Tusla also developed the Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE) procedure in partnership with An Garda Síochána to guide this area of work. The Department of Justice is leading on a new national referral mechanism to address human trafficking in Ireland, which will include Tusla. A Child Sexual Exploitation Procedure was developed to assist Tusla staff in recognising indicators of child sexual exploitation, making appropriate referrals where such concerns exist and responding to cases where children may be at risk of sexual exploitation.
Since early 2022, Tusla has partnered with MECPATHS to raise awareness and provide frontline staff across Tusla services with training on Child Trafficking in Ireland, thus increasing the agency’s capacity to respond to this evolving area of need.
As part of “Operation Cosnaím” all concerns of child sexual exploitation regarding a child who is in the care of The Child and Family Agency-Tusla, are notified to a centralised point in the Garda National Protective Services Bureau (GNPSB).
