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

The Child and Family Agency, Tusla, has advised there were 1,403.46 whole-time equivalent social workers employed at the end of November 2014 and it is recruiting an additional 193 social workers to meet existing vacancies. It has also advised 155 social workers have already been recruited during 2014 while 102 social workers left employment due to retirement and for other reasons such as maternity leave.

Stability, experience and capacity of staff working in the area of child protection and child welfare are extremely important. The agency is committed to producing a workforce development strategy by end of second quarter 2015. This is to ensure strategic and operational workforce development plans and processes are established as key activities in the agency. This development presents the agency with a significant opportunity to improve resource deployment, skill and grade mix, as well as staff motivation to the benefit of the children and families. The workforce development plan will consider issues around recruitment, retention and turnover of key staff. This will also include further developing supports through structured professional and career development.

While I prefer to have a zero rate of vacancies in this specialised area of work, it is important to acknowledge staffing vacancies arise for a variety of reasons, including retirements, career breaks, paid and unpaid leave, such as maternity and other family related leave, and resignations. In that context, there will always be gaps in timing around the filling of posts.

The turnover rate of social workers at the agency for 2014 is running at 6.7% which compares favourably with experience in other countries. Every effort is being made by the agency to speed up recruitment and develop a comprehensive workforce development plan in 2015 which will assist in addressing staff turnover rates and lower them further.

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