Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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148. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he will provide details of the high turnover of social workers employed by Túsla, the Child and Family Agency, in view of the fact that these workers are more than twice as likely to resign their positions, when compared to other employees in the health and social services generally; his plans to ensure that this does not occur; his plans to ensure that any child at risk, and not currently under the care of a social worker, will be catered for; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7694/15]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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It is recognised by management in Tusla and my Department that stability, experience and capacity of staff working in the area of child protection and child welfare is extremely important. Accordingly, workforce development is an important element of TUSLA’s strategic approach to HR, which will include consideration of issues around recruitment, retention and turnover of key staff.

Tusla has already commenced a number of workforce reviews to assist with an evaluation of appropriate staff skill mix with a view to service enhancement. This involves reviewing the roles of family support workers, social care workers in the community and administrative structures to support the delivery of more efficient and more cost-effective services. Part of this evaluation includes looking at enhanced job roles, increasing multidisciplinary team working to help alleviate pressures and increasing collaborative approaches, redesigning tasks and promoting overall greater efficiency in working. The workforce development plan will also take account of further developing supports through structured professional and career development.

During this process, Tusla continues to actively recruit social workers as vacancies arise and 164 social workers took up positions during 2014. A further 219 social workers are under active recruitment. As in any employment situation, turnover of staff does occur and 112 social workers left the Agency during 2014. While Tusla is experiencing some recruitment and retention issues, the turnover of social workers in the Agency's first year of operation was 7.3%. This turnover rate includes those who have retired or left for other reasons. There is limited published international research on job turnover and retention in child protection and welfare. However, it is recognised that recruitment and retention in this area is a key issue internationally. While not minimising the impact of the turnover rate in Tusla, a turnover rate of 10% or below is considered a low turnover rate that is achieved by very few organisations in the field of child welfare and protection.

The impact of vacancies on service provision is risk-assessed on an ongoing basis to ensure that social work team members are never allowed to fall below what is considered necessary to provide a safe service. Such risk-assessments take account of issues such as caseloads and referral numbers. Where necessary, temporary staff are brought in immediately to cover vacancies until such vacancies are filled on a permanent basis. This assessment takes account of all absences, including those on maternity related leave. There were 124 such temporary staff in place across the four regions covering vacancies at the end of December 2014.

I am currently considering the Tusla Business Plan for 2015 which was recently submitted to me and I will be monitoring the ongoing review, assessment and management of the cases awaiting assignment to social workers throughout 2015.