Written answers

Tuesday, 17 January 2017

Department of Children and Youth Affairs

Child Protection

Photo of Carol NolanCarol Nolan (Offaly, Sinn Fein)
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1683. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of Tusla workers and number of reports received in relation to concerns regarding the welfare of children by county, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41480/16]

Photo of Katherine ZapponeKatherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
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Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, holds the statutory responsibility for child welfare and protection, and is the appropriate body to receive relevant reports of concerns relating to children. Data on referrals are reported quarterly in arrears. At the end of Quarter 2, 2016, Tusla reported that approximately 59% of referrals received were of a child welfare concern with the remaining 41% relating to child protection concerns as detailed in the following table.

YearChild Welfare ReferralsChild Protection ReferralsTotal Number of Referrals
201525,361 (58%)18,235 (42%)43,596
2016 (end Q2) 13,983 (59%)9,587 (41%)23,570

Tusla's policy is to refer child welfare referrals to relevant family and community support services. At any stage, if a determination is made that there is abuse, whether physical, emotional, sexual or neglect, from which there is an ongoing risk of significant harm, the child protection pathway is followed. The number of reports of child welfare and protection concerns received by Tusla, by administrative area, to the end of June 2016 is set out in the table below.

Combined Totals for Child Protection (Abuse) and Child Welfare Concern (Note: Data is reported quarterly in arrears)Outturn 2015 (Total)Quarter 1 2016Quarter 2 2016YTD 2016 (Total)
Dublin Mid Leinster11,5223,0033,0636,066
Dublin South Central1,753495403898
Dublin South East Wicklow2,1455485241,072
Dublin South West Kildare West Wicklow3,1297437041,447
The Midlands4,4951,2171,4322,649
Dublin North East9,6192,5843,0295,613
Dublin City North2,4576867881,474
Dublin North3,8539271,1162,043
Louth Meath2,3717378521,589
Cavan Monaghan938234273507
South12,2573,2853,6746,959
Cork5,1601,4311,6043,035
Kerry997300294594
Carlow Kilkenny South Tipperary2,6385676941,261
Waterford Wexford3,4629871,0822,069
West10,1982,4342,4984,932
The Midwest4,0791,0391,0212,060
Galway Roscommon3,1797599011,660
Mayo884212164376
Donegal1,007252191443
Sligo Leitrim West Cavan1,049172221393
National Total43,59611,30612,26423,570

Tusla has advised that at the end of November 2016, there were a total of 3,573 (whole time equivalent) staff employed by Tusla broken down by grade as follows:

Staffing by Category% of Grade GroupNovember 2016
Social work40.90%1,460.58
Social Care30.90%1,103.55
Psychology and Counselling0.60%22.62
Other Support Staff inc catering1.80%63.48
Other Health Professionals0.30%9.92
Nursing1.40%50.01
Management VIII+3.00%106.43
Family Support4.60%162.99
Education and Welfare Officer2.30%83.78
Admin Grade III-VII14.30%509.63
Total Staffing100.00%3,573 WTE

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