James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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58. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of young persons in care and without an allocated social worker in County Kildare, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9287/16]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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The latest figures I have to hand from the Child and Family Agency, Tusla, indicate that on 29th February 2016 there were 6,398 children in care. Almost 93% of children in care were in a foster care setting. Of all children in care, 93% (5,951) had an allocated social worker. Tusla's policy is that all children coming into care and those in high risk placements have an allocated social worker. Subsequent gaps may be attributed to a number of factors including maternity leave, vacancies and competing priorities.

Where a child is awaiting the allocation of a social worker, this is responded to by a social work duty team on a risk management basis. During this time, work with the child and their family may be undertaken by the social work team leader or social workers in the duty system. Some of these children may have had an allocated social worker, but due to a social worker leaving, they are reclassified as awaiting a social worker. The increased budget for Tusla for 2016 should result in higher levels of children in care having an allocated social worker.

The data provided is not disaggregated at county level, but is provided grouped in 17 administrative areas. County Kildare is included with the Dublin South West/Kildare/West Wicklow area. The following table represents the national data available as at 29th February 2016: