Written answers

Tuesday, 10 July 2012

10:00 pm

Photo of Derek KeatingDerek Keating (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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Question 428: To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if in view of the fact that it is reported that every year more than 30,000 child protection and welfare concerns were reported to the Health Service Executive Services and 16,000 of these are child welfare concerns, 13,000 of these are child protection concerns and 1,500 of these are confirmed as cases of sexual, physical and emotional abuse, if she has satisfied herself that she has enough social workers in place to deal with the reporting of such cases, the waiting time to see a social worker in tabular form; the waiting time to have a risk assessment conducted and the waiting time to have a case completed to ensure that a child is safe in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33248/12]

Photo of Frances FitzgeraldFrances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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Since its introduction in 1999, significant resources have been put in place to support the implementation of Children First and in the case of the HSE and An Garda Síochána, Children First has formed an integral part of their existing operations and practices. The HSE has provided training, information and advice on the implementation of Children First throughout the sector.

In addition to the existing structures in place to support Children First, significant additional resources have been provided to the HSE over the past three years to increase the number of social workers in the child welfare and protection area. The recruitment of these additional social workers was included in the Ryan Report Implementation Plan, as was the commitment to place Children First on a statutory basis. This additional resource will be of particular assistance to the HSE in driving forward the process of implementation of Children First.

The HSE is actively reviewing the impact of current vacancies, including recent retirements at national and regional level. 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 need and subject to services being delivered within available resources. There has been an increase in social work numbers in the Children and Families care group over the period raised by the Deputy. Plans are in train to recruit further social workers to vacancies which have been identified for filling.

The recruitment of the additional social workers is one element of a wider reform 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 will support families in need.

I will reply directly to the Deputy on the other matters raised.

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