James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Measuring the Pressure, a report prepared by the Child and Family Agency, indicates that at the end of June 2014, the agency was providing 19,766 children with a social work service. The report also highlights the increasing service challenge facing the agency, with 9,548 cases waiting to be allocated to a dedicated social worker. Approximately one third of these were deemed to be high priority. These cases represent a mix of new referrals that need further assessment and social work input and children known to the agency who need a continuing social work service. It is important to note that a duty social worker has been involved in these cases.

I am assured by the Child and Family Agency that emergency cases are dealt with immediately and high priority cases are kept under review. We must ensure the most vulnerable children in our society receive a timely and appropriate response. The data and analysis contained in the Measuring the Pressure report provide critical management information to assist the agency in service planning and resource allocation.

This year, the Child and Family Agency is in receipt of funding of €6.7 million to alleviate identified service pressures and support the continuing implementation of the reform programme across children and family services. This funding is being targeted at a number of areas, including the replacement of staff on maternity leave by way of a 12 month temporary contract. The most recent figures indicate that at the end of August, 164 staff were on maternity leave, 82 of whom were social workers.

The Child and Family Agency is also finalising proposals for the introduction of a guaranteed and protected one year induction programme for newly qualified social workers. These initiatives are designed to assist the agency in responding to identified service pressures and to provide for a targeted response to such pressures, taking account of identified need and available resources.

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