Tony McLoughlin (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

353. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the availability of adequate placement facilities for children at risk or deemed to be at risk in counties Sligo and Leitrim; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16902/17]

Tony McLoughlin (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

357. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of children in foster care or protective residential care in counties Sligo and Leitrim; the demand arising from the need to ensure the welfare and well-being of such children; the availability of the required personnel and resources; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16906/17]

Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 353 and 357 together.

The latest figures from Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, indicate that, at the end of January 2017, there were 6,323 children in care. Of these, 5,844 (92%) were in foster care and 341 (5%) were in residential care. Foster care is the main form of alternative care for children in need of care and protection, and it is the preferred option for children who cannot live with their parent(s)/guardian(s). Of the 5,844 children in foster care, there were 4,130 (71%) in a general foster care placement and 1,714 (29%) were in care with relatives. Residential care is the placement of choice for older children who have needs that are best met by this placement type. In general, residential care is based in domestic style homes, catering for between 1 and 4 or 5 older children.

All children in care should have an allocated social worker but it is important to note that if a child has not been allocated a social worker, the cases are reviewed regularly by the principal social worker and are managed by duty social work teams to support the child's needs. At the end of January 2017, 93% of all children in care had an allocated social worker (5,885/6,323) nationally.

At the end of 2016, there was a total of 103 children in care in the Sligo/Leitrim/West Cavan area. Of the 103 children in care, 78 were in general foster care, 16 in foster care with a relative, 8 in a residential care placement and one child was in an other care placement. At the end of January 2017, there was a total of 101 children in care in the Sligo/Leitrim/West Cavan administrative area and all had an allocated social worker. Tusla has advised that there are 9 registered residential care centres in the Sligo/Leitrim/West Cavan area. Children placed in these centres include children from other geographic locations, especially from the greater Dublin area.

Tusla currently has 1,467 WTE social workers and an end of 2017 target of 1,520 WTE. This target is short of the target set in Survival to Sustainability by approximately 100 WTE and reflects the constraints of the social work labour supply. Funding is in place to address the issue of unallocated cases, however, the recruitment environment for social workers is very challenging. However, Tusla is also focusing on intervening at an early stage of a family difficulty through social care and family supports. Accordingly, Tusla is prioritising the recruitment of an additional 100 Family Support Practitioners, 166 social care staff and an additional 25 administrative staff to allow social workers to focus on their core work with children and their families.