Sandra McLellan (Cork East, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

370. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs when 24-hour social work services will come into effect; how the service will work; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42706/15]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Tusla, the Child and Family Agency provides a range of services aimed at addressing emergency situations in the area of child welfare and protection. In the main, these emergency situations arise out of hours.

I am pleased to inform the Deputy that Tusla commenced the new Emergency Out-of-Hours Social Work Service last month. The 2016 allocation to Tusla includes provision for the full year cost of the Emergency Out-of-Hours Social Work Service. The key objective of the service is to co-operate with and support An Garda Síochána in the execution of its duties and responsibilities under the Child Care Act, 1991 and the Refugee Act, 1996.

Prior to this new development Tusla provided, in an emergency situation, for

- residential and foster care placements for children under Section 12(3) of the Child Care Act, 1991 and

- placements for children referred under Section 8.5 of the Refugee Act, 1996;

The additional service now available allows An Garda Síochana to contact a national emergency social work out-of-hours phone service for general advice or consultation. This on call service is staffed by social workers operating from the Out-of-Hours services in Dublin, supported by on-call social workers in different parts of the country.

The social workers are currently employed by Tusla in its children’s services.

Tusla and An Garda Síochána are the key agencies empowered by law to protect and promote the welfare of children and they have separate yet complementary roles. Mutual understanding and cooperation is essential in ensuring that these roles are carried out effectively and in a child-centred manner.

The aim of the Emergency Out-of-Hours Social Work Service is to ensure that the disruption and upset to which children may be exposed in emergency situations are minimised and the rights of parents and guardians are respected. The introduction of the Emergency Out-of-Hours Social Work Service assists in maximising inter-agency co-operation and promoting the safety and welfare of children.