Patrick Costello (Dublin South Central, Green Party)
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I thank the Minister for his attendance. It is nice to have the actual Minister responsible for a Topical Issue appear before us, so I look forward to a deeply informed response.

I wish to raise the challenges in special care, particularly staffing of special care units. It is important that we contextualise this discussion by remembering that special care is a small part of our overall care system, with only a small number of young people in special care units. However, they are some of the most challenging and traumatised young people and, in many ways, they need the most help, have the most challenging behaviours, and have struggled in other placements and present with very acute specialised needs.

We have to remember that because of this these are difficult places to work. There is violence in these units occasionally. There is always challenging behaviour. They are difficult environments. When we look at the staffing numbers, we see the level of stress, sickness and injuries that we do not see in other parts of the childcare system. When we look at the numbers of new staff who have come in compared to the number of staff who are leaving special care units, we see that special care units struggle to keep the staff they have. They are already understaffed, yet they cannot grow their staffing because they are losing as many as they gain, if not more.

Based on numbers from a parliamentary question I asked during the recess, I know Ballydowd is down about one-third of its staffing levels. Crannog Nua is down about one-third of its staffing requirement. Coovagh House is almost there in terms of its staffing requirements. The consequence of this is that, for the safety of the young people and staff, beds and spaces in these units cannot be opened.

We need to remember that behind these numbers are young people who are in desperate need and are very damaged. There have been several comments from High Court judges and difficult cases before the High Court where special care is dealt with. We need to examine why there are gaps in staffing and what we can do about them.

Nursing provides a neat solution. In nursing, there are plenty of location and specialised allowances. We acknowledge that working in an intensive care unit is very different from other nursing positions and there are allowances based on working in specialised environments. We need to acknowledge that special care is a difficult place to work. It is a very different place to work from a normal mainstream residential unit. We need to acknowledge that by paying social care leaders and workers a location allowance that encourages them into and to stay in special care and acknowledges the extra work and the difficult job they are doing. This will allow us to open up beds that are currently closed due to the fact that there are not enough staff. Tusla is eager to get staff in. Special care may be a small area, but it is an important part of the care system and needs to be recognised as such, with specialised allowances for staff.

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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I thank the Deputy for his Topical Issue submission and for raising this important matter. I recognise that he has long championed this particular issue. I share his concern about children in the care of the State and his recognition that those requiring special care, who are perhaps the most vulnerable, should have access to a special care place when they need it.

Tusla and I are well aware of the challenges in special care, which are complex and interrelated, and no one solution will solve all of the difficulties. However, there are a number of initiatives under way, which I will come back to presently. As the Deputy said, special care is a short-term intervention which places a child in a restricted secure setting operated by Tusla. A special care placement is a very serious intervention. It deprives a child of liberty and, as such, an application must be made by Tusla to the High Court in order to place a child in special care.

I am aware that Tusla is facing real challenges in its delivery of alternative care services and, in particular, in regard to the recruitment and retention of staff. These challenges are especially acute in the special care services - the Deputy has provided some figures - which is a challenging working environment where staff are at increased risk of violence or assault from the children, many of whom face significant behavioural challenges, to which the Deputy has spoken.

In this regard, staff turnover is high. I would like to take this opportunity to recognise the significant and invaluable contribution that special care staff make to safeguarding the needs of children with the most complex needs. Every effort is being made by Tusla to support appropriate access to and egress from special care services in Ireland. This includes a number of initiatives to support the recruitment and retention of staff in special care units, which is currently a primary limiting factor on the maximum number of beds that may be occupied in these units.

I want to set out some of the initiatives to which I referred. In addition to Tusla’s in-house recruitment, it has engaged two agency recruitment providers to source staff for direct employment in special care units. In addition, where agency staff have been engaged in special care units, they are offered an option by Tusla to apply for permanent positions through an agency conversion process, which is important.

A working group has been established to enhance the partnership between Tusla and colleges regarding the supply of graduates to work in special care. Each year, Tusla also offers approximately 24 placements in special care units to students, and this initiative is intended to provide students with valuable and positive experiences of working in special care residential services. In addition, part-time positions are offered to students who provide cover for shift work at weekends and shifts relating to unplanned absences.

In regard to staff retention, Tusla has established a dedicated retention project team to focus on key initiatives in this area, such as the introduction of a new special care induction policy to ensure new entrants receive standardised and cohesive training on commencement of employment. The agency has operated a three-week protected time induction programme for graduates since 2022, which included modules on compliance, HR and wellbeing training.

While financial remuneration is only one of the issues understood to be impacting on recruitment and retention, my Department is currently reviewing a proposal from Tusla on the special care allowance. Tusla’s strategic plan for residential care services proposes the creation of a number of step-down placements across the country, which will promote timely discharges from special care. My Department will seek to prioritise this initiative and investment in residential care in the context of ongoing resource allocation discussions. I would like to assure the House that my Department is actively engaging with Tusla on these issues, and will continue to provide whatever support to it that is necessary to address the current very significant challenges impacting on special care.

Patrick Costello (Dublin South Central, Green Party)
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I thank the Minister for his detailed response. I know he understands the issues facing Tusla in general and the issues facing special care in particular. The issues we see in special care are replicated in other parts of Tusla. There is a challenge in terms of recruitment and I appreciate that.

The agency conversion aspect the Minister spoke of has been incredibly important in terms of retention and staff morale. It is an excellent thing, for a variety of reasons. It needs to be supported and continued. The outreach to students he mentioned is useful and important. Special care is a challenging place to work, but it can be very rewarding and is a unique place to work. It is positive for students to work there in the way the Minister set out.

However, partly because of special care's challenges people need special skills. A student who does not have the necessary support from an experienced social care leader will struggle and could be in a position of doing more harm than good to themselves. We know we need consistency and positive relationships in social work. These are things that improve matters and help the most. That is helped by staff retention and having as many full-time and whole-time staff as possible. The best way to do that is to create a special care allowance. As I said, such allowances have worked well in nursing and other professions. Social care leaders and workers working in this special, difficult and challenging environment should receive a special care allowance.

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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I thank the Deputy. As he knows, I meet Tusla on a quarterly basis. I was not at a meeting held two weeks ago, but at a previous meeting we discussed special care and the particular recruitment challenges in the sector. I specifically asked Tusla to bring forward a detailed business case for a special care allowance. That has been brought forward and we are considering it. We will revert to the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform. As I say to all journalists now, all of these things are part of the Estimates process and we cannot give any more detail other than that. We see it is necessary in terms of the particular recruitment and retention challenges we face in the sector.

It is an important part but it is important for me to set out those other elements as well.

It is also important to note that we are drafting terms of reference between my Department and Tusla for a special care planning group to examine the future of special care in Ireland, particularly its configuration. That future-facing piece is really important. The current situation needs to be addressed by better recruitment and enhanced retention of staff. I very much hope to see a special care allowance play a part in that. I thank the Deputy for continuing to champion this issue. I know it is not hugely popular politically but it is so important. I have no doubt he will continue to my focus and that my Department on it.