Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Question 194: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if she will provide detail on the location where the out-of-hours social work crisis intervention services operate; the estimated cost to roll out an out-of-hours service nationally; the consultation that has taken place with the social work profession; if the Croke Park agreement provides for any development in this area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2023/11]

Barry Andrews (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The HSE provides out-of-hours services:

(a) In the greater Dublin area through the Crisis Intervention Service (CIS) and

(b) Outside the greater Dublin area through the Emergency Place of Safety Service

The CIS provides an out-of-hours emergency social work service to young people aged under 18 years who are in crisis in ten Local Health Offices in the Eastern region. The CIS comprises the following:

Day social work team

Emergency social work service which is available from Monday to Sunday between 6pm and 6am and each Saturday / Sunday / Public Holiday between 9am and 5pm.

Night reception centre

Emergency Foster Care families

Emergency residential beds

After care support flats

Crisis Intervention Partnership delivered in partnership between the HSE and Focus Ireland.

Referrals to the CIS are received by telephone from service providers working at night i.e. Gardai / Hospitals / Ambulance service.

In June 2009, the HSE established the Emergency Place of Safety service whereby Gardai can access an appropriate place of safety for children found to be at risk out of hours under section 12 of the Child Care Act 1991. This service provides a standardised response across the country for children who can be placed in a family setting. This service operates outside the Eastern region as these are served by the CIS.

In addition to the above the HSE Service Plan for 2011 includes a commitment to pilot and evaluate out-of-hours social work services in two areas (Donegal and Cork). Work is at an advanced stage in the development of these pilot projects with discussions underway with staff representatives in this regard. The Croke Park agreement provides a context for these discussions. A decision on progression to a national roll-out of the out-of -hours social work service will take place in the context of the evaluation of these two pilot projects and other relevant data from the other out-of-hours services. The estimated cost of developing the service nationally will also be informed by the pilot process.