Barry Andrews (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)

It had been expected that the review of the adequacy of child and family services report for 2007 would be completed and published before the end of 2008. However, following discussions between my office and the HSE in late 2008, it was agreed to give priority instead to the preparation of a social work and family support services survey. The finalisation of this comprehensive survey necessarily involved the same cohort of HSE officials working on the validation of the interim data set for 2007 to support the section 8 report. I am advised, however, that the section 8 report for 2007 will be published within the next two weeks and that future reports will be produced in a timely fashion. In this regard, I do not consider there has been any breach by the HSE of its statutory obligations. In regular meetings with HSE child welfare protection managers, I have been impressed by their commitment to addressing the many issues surrounding the provision of timely, accurate and consistent management information.

A draft version of the social work and family support services survey document has been already presented to me by the HSE. It provides a good indication of the breadth of information which will follow in the final version, which is expected to be ready before the summer. In addition to an array of statistical data, including data on current caseloads and family support services, the document also contains a considerable amount of valuable contextual commentary which will support better management and service reform. Informed by the social work and family support services survey, I intend to discuss with the HSE how the section 8 report can be enhanced in future years, and how the information now becoming available can be used in HSE performance reports submitted to the Department.

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