Written answers

Thursday, 22 March 2012

Department of Health

Departmental Staff

5:00 pm

Photo of Seán FlemingSeán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 23: To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she has reconsidered the need to set a target for the number of social workers employed in the area of child protection by the end of 2012 in order to ensure that gaps in the child protection system are eliminated in line with the targeted approach adopted following on from the recommendations of the Ryan Report; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15839/12]

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

The HSE compiles a monthly census of employment in the public health and social care sector. This shows that the total number of social workers employed in the HSE and in directly funded agencies at the end of 2011 was 2,442 whole time equivalents (WTEs). This is an increase of 252 WTEs from the position at end 2009 and reflects the recruitment which has taken place following the publication of the Implementation Plan in response to the findings of the Report of the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse. The recruitment of additional child protection social work staff under the implementation plan in late 2011 / early 2012 is not fully reflected in this figure. Further recruitment of social work staff as part of a new multi-disciplinary team for children in care and detention is also planned in 2012.

With regard to end year social worker employment levels, the National Director of Children and Families Services, Gordon Jeyes, will apply his discretion over the course of the year to the filling of vacancies, having regard to identified priorities, the overall level of resources available and subject to meeting employment targets.

The Service Plan for 2012 sets out a range of reforms and performance measures to guide the improvement of child welfare and protection services. Priorities include:

Delivery of consistent family support services and development of a national protocol on supervision orders;

Improving the collection of accurate data on services and on children in care, including procurement of the National Child Care Information System;

Establishing a national Child Protection Register;

Developing consistent risk assessment and measurement tools;

A greater focus on quality assurance and auditing of workloads;

Preparing and implementing a Workforce Development Plan for child and family services;

Continuing the implementation of National Standards for Pre-School Services.

I am very much aware of the financial and service challenges facing the HSE in 2012. The challenges are such as to require acceleration of the reform programme across child and family services, leading to the establishment of a new and dedicated Children and Family Support Agency, to which the Government is fully committed.

The Government has made additional budgeting provision for these services compared to the funding made available last year. This provides a further impetus to the comprehensive reform of service delivery which is under way and which is aimed at generating the best possible outcomes for vulnerable children and families.

My Department will be working very closely with the HSE throughout the year to ensure that the priorities set out in the HSE National Service Plan are implemented where they relate to children and family services. We have set an ambitious programme of work, one which is designed to significantly strengthen the policy, legislative and practice framework. Our shared goal is the delivery of appropriate, effective and consistent services, notwithstanding the very challenging and demanding circumstances in which these services are delivered.

Comments

No comments

Log in or join to post a public comment.