Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 58, 60 and 62 together.

The Health Service Executive, HSE, compiles a monthly census of employment in the public health and social care sector. The latest data available is in respect of December 2011. It shows the total number of social workers employed in the HSE and in directly funded agencies at that time was 2,442 whole time equivalents, WTEs. The equivalent number for end 2010 was 2,432 WTEs, an increase of ten. The figure for the end of 2009 was 2,189. The figures indicate an increase of 253 WTEs over the period 2009 to 2011. These figures relate to all social workers employed, including in child welfare and protection services, mental health services and other health care settings including acute hospitals.

The HSE has also begun to compile a breakdown of staff working in particular care groups. It should be noted the classification of staff by care group is considered by the HSE and the Department to be provisional since the methodology is being refined and work is ongoing on the precise allocation of staff to the children and families area in the context of the planned establishment of the child and family support agency. Notwithstanding these caveats, the number of social workers employed in the children and families area increased by 37, or from 1,183 to 1,220, between December 2010 and December 2011. This information shows that the growth in social workers in the HSE last year is attributable to the increased numbers provided for child welfare and protection purposes. Provision was made for the recruitment of an additional 62 social workers to children and family services in 2011. The recruitment process in respect of these posts was completed in late 2011 and all posts have either been filled or accepted. I understand from the HSE that not all of the additional staff are reflected in the latest employment census returns owing to the time lag between candidates being offered positions and serving out notice with existing employers, and taking up duty and appearing in the employment census returns. To date some 25 individuals have taken up duty and others are due to come on stream in the coming weeks. In addition to recruitment for additional posts, typically in any year there are departures of social workers and other professionals when staff who are eligible to retire do so. However, the ending of the pension reduction grace period is contributing to a greater concentration of such retirements. The HSE's national service plan for this year acknowledged the uncertainty regarding the effect of individual retirement decisions and committed to detailed planning to proactively manage the impact on different services. Management preparation for these departures falls in the first instance to local managers and subsequently to HSE managers at regional and national level. Tonight the Cabinet sub-committee on health will be discussing a report on these changes and the work that is being done to manage them. In order to further strengthen management arrangements a formal transition team for the HSE has been established at national level. The Government and the Cabinet committee on health have also received direct briefings on the subject from the HSE.

My Department receives ongoing updates from the national director of children and families services, Gordon Jeyes, and his team. The latest information from the HSE indicates that approximately 45 social workers in children and family services have given notice of retirement. This figure is, of course, subject to change between now and the end of February and is being updated on an ongoing basis. The emerging position on residential care homes is that there will be minimal retirement of social care workers. This is influenced by the relatively young age profile of staff in these homes. The situation will be confirmed as we reach the end of February and I will write to Deputy Ó Caoláin if there is any change in the position.

The number of social workers retiring represents 3.7% of the overall number of social workers. In any given year a 1% to 2% turnover of staff would be expected. The immediate management of departures will draw upon the local flexibility available under the Croke Park agreement and the discretion available to the national director of children and families services to fill priority vacancies now and over the course of the year. In deploying available staff and filling vacancies, regard will be had to the relative workloads among social work teams and existing vacancies where they are a factor. The provision of additional social workers on foot of the Ryan report represents a significant staffing increase by any measure. It is important that decisions on the ongoing and flexible deployment of this increased total staffing resource are informed by the most up-to-date assessment of workloads and by flexibility on the part of staff in responding to priorities.

Additional information not given on the floor of the House.

My Department is informed that the contingency arrangements in place at local and regional level will provide for redeployment within and across social work teams to areas of greatest need, priority focus on child protection, delivery of an accessible system for managing referrals and restructuring and consolidation of specialist teams such as fostering or adoption, having regard to the potential to expand their geographic remit and respond to reductions in demand.

Since decisions on the filling of vacancies must have regard to the need to meet budgetary targets it is important to note that the Government has increased the HSE's children and families budget by €21 million or 4% this year. The HSE national service plan also provides for an increase in the total number of staff employed in children and family services compared to last year. This contrasts with a reduction of €14 million or 2.3% in the budgetary provision for children and families in 2011 under the previous Government. It reflects the determination by Government to lead the improvement of child welfare and protection services. It provides significant additional flexibility in managing service pressures and reforming services to make them more effective. Notwithstanding the additional financial provision made by the Government, I do not wish to minimise the financial and service challenges facing the HSE in 2012. The financial difficulties facing the country are such as to require acceleration of reform across all areas of the public service. Reform is a central element of the change programme for child and family services, including the establishment of a new and dedicated children and family support agency. However, the Government's delivery of an increased budget for child welfare and protection services at a time of financial reductions generally is testament to our commitment to resourcing the comprehensive reform process which is underway.

The consistent implementation of the Children First guidance, which I launched last year, across all sectors working with children is a high priority for the Government. In this context I have established an interdepartmental committee to oversee progress in implementing the guidance across the Government. The revised guidance, together with the introduction of legislation, are designed to heighten societal awareness of the importance of safeguarding children. One of the key challenges for the HSE is the need to ensure that its services are rebalanced with an emphasis on primary prevention and family support for child welfare cases and interventions, including assessment of current risk, where child protection concerns are evident.

The HSE, as the statutory body responsible for promoting the welfare of children, already has in place a network of personnel to provide training, information and advice on the implementation of Children First. The HSE is currently providing a programme of information and training on the new guidance across the country. This includes the publication of its child protection and welfare practice handbook. A recent audit of Children First implementation has found that as of December 2011, 94% of all social workers have received and were aware of the new guidance and practice requirements. Children First is not new policy; it has been in place for over ten years and has guided the practice of those working with children over the period. In the case of the HSE and An Garda Síochána, the two statutory agencies with particular responsibilities for the assessment and investigation of child welfare and protection concerns, Children First forms an integral part of their existing operations and practices. In addition, the significant increase in the number of social workers since 2009 is of considerable assistance to the HSE in driving forward the process of implementation. I do not anticipate that the retirements this month will materially affect the capacity of the HSE to implement the Children First guidance when it is placed on a statutory footing.

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