Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)

In March 2011, the social services inspectorate of the Health Information and Quality Authority, HIQA, carried out an announced follow-up inspection of the foster care service provided by the Health Service Executive, HSE, in the Dublin North-Central local health area. The inspection was carried out under section 69(2) of the Child Care Act 1991 and was done to assess progress in implementing the recommendations of the full original inspection report, which was published by HIQA in July 2010. The findings of the first inspection identified significant shortcomings in the HSE's compliance with national standards and regulations pertaining to foster care services, and a series of local and national recommendations was made by the authority. In 2010, the HSE provided HIQA with an action plan against the local recommendations that related to the Dublin north-central area.

A follow-up inspection found that good progress had been made in the implementation of most of the recommendations in the original inspection report. The positive changes that had taken place included an increase in the number of social worker posts in the area, a reduction in the number of unallocated cases and improved local systems of gathering and maintaining information and care records. Seventeen new social worker posts had been allocated and all of the posts were filled. The inspection found that the provision of supervision to social workers had improved. Other positive changes were related to improved governance of this service and the considerable efforts to ensure social workers carried out their duties in accordance with foster care standards and regulations. However there continued to be children in foster care and foster carers in the area who did not have an assigned social worker. Delays in the assessment and approval of relative foster carers continued, and the Children First guidelines were not being complied with totally. These findings were of particular concern.

However, the HSE is working to address the deficits in Dublin central. The 17 additional social worker posts that have been filled will help us to complete the assessments that are outstanding. Further work must be done to ensure all children in foster care are assessed and have a foster care plan. The HSE will be closely monitoring this work at local and national level and will report back to my Department on it.

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