Joe Cooney (Clare, Fine Gael)

I have heard about a very low number of social workers and extremely high rates of staff burnout and staff turnover in Clare. This has resulted in severely traumatised children being handed from one social worker to another, with little or no continuity of care. I have heard of children with a foster family or residential placement being put into special emergency arrangements, through the out-of-hours service. This only operates from 6 p.m., as the Minister is aware, and children can be placed anywhere around the country. Social worker staff have to transport these very vulnerable children from to Clare to wherever a place is available, perhaps in Donegal, Cork or wherever else.

Concerns have been raised with me that some that some of these providers may be unregulated and that the care being provided may not be the most appropriate for the needs of these children. I have heard from foster families who have to deal with increasingly complex care needs of vulnerable children who have been left without appropriate levels of support. I ask the Minister for an update.

See this speech in context