Ms Marissa Ryan:

The CEO of Tusla has been briefing the Committee of Public Accounts and some other Oireachtas committees on this situation. Our view is in line with that of Tusla. There are a number of challenges. Some social workers are burning out because it is extremely difficult and gruelling work. Simultaneously, there have been problems with recruitment. Not enough young people are studying social work. On top of that, social work is becoming a profession that has gone beyond the Child and Family Agency. It is vying for social workers alongside not just the HSE, but many other public and private bodies. All of that together is placing big pressure on the system.

We have seen some really positive practice. Just last year, Tusla offered every newly graduating social work student a place in Tusla. That increased the numbers, but I believe the last statistics I read indicated that about 7% of children do not have an allocated social worker at the moment. I will need to check that. If there are not enough social workers, Tusla has identified the need to bring in other experts who can help to alleviate some of the pressures on the system. We in EPIC would say that we are one of those. Independent advocacy services can resolve some issues that children in care face in the absence of a social worker or until the social worker is in place. As we have an ex-social worker here today, the Senator could also ask him.