Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 472: To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the reasons for the failure to fill all existing child protection social worker posts. [32905/11]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

In line with the Programme for Government I am committed to delivering on the Ryan Report Implementation Plan. Earlier this year I personally took over the chair of the Ryan Report Implementation Group and I laid the Second Annual Progress Report before the Houses of the Oireachtas in July. While there are significant financial pressures on child and family services, my Department is nonetheless seeking to prioritise implementation of the Ryan Report recommendations both this year and in our planning for next year.

The Ryan Report Implementation Plan committed to the recruitment of an additional 270 social workers. 200 of these new posts were in place by the end of 2010. The HSE National Service Plan includes financial provision for the recruitment of a further 60 social workers this year. I have been assured by the HSE that it plans to have these additional staff in place by the end of the year. While the HSE introduced a recruitment pause across all categories of staff over the month of August due to its adverse financial position, the HSE has prioritised the filling of certain key development posts and decided to process the recruitment of these staff with a view to their taking up employment by year end. This includes the recruitment of the additional social workers. My Department will continue to closely monitor the position with regard to the recruitment of the additional personnel.

The additional social workers will be targeted at priority areas of the service having regard to an overall assessment of workload undertaken by the National Director and his team. The recruitment of the additional social workers is one element of a wider change agenda within the HSE, through which I believe we can deliver better outcomes for children and families. This reform agenda will lead to the establishment of a new Child and Family Support Agency which will provide a dedicated focus on child protection and support families in need.

This change agenda seeks to deliver the best outcomes for children and families through achieving:

· A service delivery model that will address a multi-agency approach to managing the child welfare and protection system;

· A nationwide consistency-of-approach in practice and implementation of Children First and child welfare and protection services generally;

· Use of standardised definitions, criteria and thresholds for reporting and referrals including prioritisation of cases;

· The recent launch of a Child Welfare and Protection Handbook for HSE staff and the commencement of training courses for staff, including joint-training with Gardaí;

· Greater reliance on real-time data on social work referrals and alternative care collated through HSE performance management indicators and the ongoing development of the National Child Care Information System;

· Improved resource allocation responsive to changing needs;

· Clearer management and budgetary accountability.

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 473: To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she is satisfied that optimal staff to case ratios are currently in place in the child protection system. [32906/11]

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 474: To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if the Health Service Executive is satisfied that optimal staff is to case ratios are currently in place in the child protection system. [32907/11]

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 475: To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the minimum ratio of filled social worker posts is to cases that she is prepared to accept and allow. [32908/11]

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 476: To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the minimum ratio of filled social worker posts to cases that the head of child protection services is prepared to accept and allow. [32909/11]

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 477: To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of community care child protection, fostering team, team leaders and principal social worker posts in the Health Service Executive; the number currently filled; the number of vacancies as of January 2011; and the number of vacancies since the number of children in care passed 6,000 [32910/11]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I propose to take Questions Nos. 473 to 477, inclusive, together.

The Government is committed to fundamental reform and transformation of the delivery of our children and family services. A number of significant structural and legislative changes are key to effecting such reform. This includes the establishment of a new agency with dedicated responsibility for the delivery of child welfare and protection services, separate from the HSE.

The employment control framework for the HSE provides that the grade of social worker is exempted from the public sector moratorium on recruitment and filling of vacancies. The Ryan Report Implementation Plan committed to the recruitment of an additional 270 social workers. 200 of these new posts were in place by the end of 2010. The HSE National Service Plan includes financial provision for the recruitment of a further 60 social workers this year. I have been assured by the HSE that it plans to have these additional staff in place by the end of the year.

The additional social workers will be targeted at priority areas of the service having regard to an overall assessment of workload undertaken by the National Director and his team. The recruitment of the additional social workers is one element of a wider change agenda within the HSE, through which I believe we can deliver better outcomes for children and families. This reform agenda will lead to the establishment of a new Child and Family Support Agency which will provide a dedicated focus on child protection and support families in need.

In relation to the specific manpower related matters raised, as these are service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy with the most up-to-date information.

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 478: To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of community care child protection, fostering team, team leaders and principal social workers each year for the past five years on long-term sick leave and on maternity leave. [32911/11]

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 479: To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the amount of short-term sick leave taken by Health Service Executive community care child protection, fostering team, team leaders and principal social workers in the past five years. [32912/11]

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 480: To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if the amount of illness leave taken by social workers has increased along with the increase in the number of children in care; and if so, the proportion of same. [32913/11]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I propose to take Questions Nos. 478 to 480, inclusive, together.

As these are service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy with the most up-to-date information.