Mr. Fred McBride:

I am very happy to address the question of a number of Deputies on the figures for unallocated cases. Before doing so, I might go back to the question raised by Deputy Ó Caoláin about direct provision. We do not have dedicated child protection teams in each of those centres but we have such teams in each of the areas where the centres are located. Those children are living with their parents, and we respond to any concerns raised in line with Children First guidelines. We have also seconded a member of staff to liaise with the direct provision centres for a number of years, and that staff member can provide proactive information about child protection matters, how support can be received and key contacts within agencies. It is a proactive service.

The figures for unallocated cases are correct, with approximately 9,000 such cases up to July this year. There are roughly 3,000 cases which we would describe as high priority. These cases are high priority because of a need to allocate to a social worker. I do not mean to play on words but that is not the same as saying the cases are high risk. It acknowledges the need for a social worker but it is not to say the risks are either exceptionally high or immediate. I can give absolute assurances that where we discover the risk is immediate or high, we deal with it immediately. I am confident that is the case throughout the country. With cases where it is acknowledged they should be allocated to a social worker, there are often other services and agencies working with the people on an ongoing basis. We monitor those lists directly through duty and intake teams, and many cases are not in a position where they are not being worked at all. They would be monitored but it is just they have not, as yet, been allocated to a longer-term social worker.

There was a question raised about the numbers of social workers and if they are adequate. In a number of areas we have recently piloted a detailed and sophisticated workload management system. After the pilot activity, there were virtually no caseloads in the country deemed to be unmanageable, although one or two, for a temporary period, crept into an unmanageable category. We took immediate management action, which is what the caseload management system is about, to bring cases back to a manageable category. Caseloads are at the upper end of the busy category, but they are not unmanageable and we have applied a reasonably scientific system to measure it. That will be rolled out across the country over the next few months.

I emphasise the point made by Mr. Jeyes about children in care. I accept that children in care are entitled to an allocated social worker, as standards dictate, and in most parts of the country that is the case. There are one or two parts where it is not so, which brings the national average to between 85% and 90%. That is a high number in international comparisons, although that does not detract from the fact that every child in care requires an allocated social worker. A number of children in care are in very settled long-term foster placement, and prioritisation is always at play when children in the community may be in more urgent need of a social worker than somebody in a long-term placement. We need to look after both types, and we are endeavouring to do so.