Kathleen Funchion (Carlow-Kilkenny, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I would welcome it if the Minister would specifically look into this region as to why there are such difficulties and so many problems there. Part of the problem is obviously around resources and the need for additional social workers because there are many vacancies but we also must ensure that those social workers stay in the region. We all know that the last thing a vulnerable child needs, one who is already facing changes and different things in his or her life, is to build up a relationship with a social worker only for it to be torn apart. That gives that child the perception that there is nobody there for them and that the State is failing them and, to be honest, the State is failing them in that situation. There will always be situations where staff have to change but not to the level that we are seeing in this area. It really is not good enough. I think of the amount of children who are falling through the cracks. It was also stated in the report that many children were only assigned a social worker shortly before the HIQA report commenced, which makes me wonder if they would ever have got a social worker if there had been no HIQA report. This area really needs to be specifically looked at.

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