Mr. Ger Brophy:

Turning to the supervision element, we do have a supervision policy in Tusla. There are four aspects to it. We have adopted a model over a long time that looks at the support any individual worker needs. It is certainly not counselling, and we are not aiming to provide counselling. Counselling is available in the organisation where an individual worker is stressed or needs support in this regard. This is about management and reflective practice as well, and about looking at what happens in a case, the impact that has on the worker and how we can build resilience in this regard. Mentoring and coaching are also available, separate from supervision, but as part of the context.

Another aspect, which is not part of the supervision process but is a part of how we are organised in Tusla, is a caseload review mechanism. If we have a large number of vacancies in an area, though, then a caseload review mechanism is not going to be as useful as when all the posts have been filled. What this mechanism has allowed us to do, at times when we have had all our vacancies filled, is to identify where the unmet need is. We measure our caseloads, right across the country and objectively, and yet it is done by the person who is being supervised and his or her team leader. This has certainly enabled me as a manager in the past to identify where to target resources. We have a system there, so if we can fill the posts we have and increase the throughput, this will be very effective. We are, though, very concerned about this issue and we know that the impact of the work on the person is a key element of recruitment.

Moving to the question of a person in prison, one of the lessons we have again learned in recent years is that keeping men involved in families is important. Involving them in the assessment is important, whether they are in prison or elsewhere. It certainly applies when they are in prison. There are obviously certain restrictions in terms of visitations and times, etc., and we must work within those aspects. We value this approach very much, though, and we value the men's role and support this facilitation. In Limerick, in particular, the Bedford Row Family Project has a long history of involvement in this context and in supporting and supervising access and the family role. We were involved in supporting recent research ongoing there. We obviously need and depend on the Department of Justice, and we work with it on this topic. I reiterate that we very much value the role of the men and this is something which we again try to do in as many different situations as we can, but we do not always have the resources or the facilities to do it. I hope this answers the question.