Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

This is an important issue. It is a continuing priority of mine to address the problem of children in care who do not have an allocated social worker. I am informed by Tusla that 99% of children in residential care and 100% of children in special care have an allocated social worker. However, I am concerned to note that 7% of children in foster care do not have an allocated social worker. When social workers are being allocated, children recently received into care and those with mental health issues, a disability or challenging behaviour, are prioritised. Tusla is also focusing on intervening at an early stage of a family difficulty through social care and family supports.

When a child who has not been allocated a social worker is placed in foster care, the placement is closely monitored and supported by the duty social work team. In addition, I have been informed that the child's foster family will be visited by a link social worker. This link worker will have oversight of the child's welfare until a social worker can be allocated.

I place a high priority on addressing the number of children in care who are without an allocated social worker. I secured additional funding for this purpose in 2017, and Tusla is now in the second year of a three year plan to ensure the allocation of a social worker to all children and young people who need one. The recruitment environment for social workers is very challenging.

My Department will continue to monitor progress closely in this regard. I will continue to engage directly with the Tusla board and senior management team over the course of the year to review the progress being made in reducing the numbers of children in care who do not have an allocated social worker.

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