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

My Department works closely with Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, to ensure that all children identified as needing a social worker service receive one.

Tusla figures indicate there were 27,710 open cases at the end of January 2015.

These provisional figures show that 7,787 of these were waiting to be allocated a social worker. Around 30% of these were deemed to be high priority. Children in the high priority category include those needing further assessment of their situation, children who have recently come into care or some whose placement is at risk of breaking down. All cases awaiting allocation are monitored and reviewed regularly by the duty social work teams. Tusla is also undertaking a national review of open cases to determine how best to address service demands.

While this offers some assurance, work is continuing to ensure that all children who need an allocated social worker have one. Tusla has reported that the number of children waiting for a social worker decreased over 2014. Nationally, high priority cases waiting less than three months to be allocated a social worker almost halved over the course of the year, and in Cork the reduction in all high priority cases awaiting allocation was 66%. This reduction suggests that quality assurance and national standards are helping to deliver service improvements.

Tusla is also working to improve staffing complements and has introduced schemes for maternity cover and support for new entrants. We have previously discussed the turnover of social workers at during Question Time in the House. Thankfully in this country the turnover of social workers is much lower than in many other Western countries. That is a credit to our social workers. The nature of the work is extremely demanding and challenging and Tusla's work to improve the schemes to support new entrants is very important.

Reducing the number of children waiting to be allocated a social worker is one of the core objectives for Tusla in meeting the current and future needs of our most vulnerable children.

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