Written answers

Tuesday, 20 June 2017

Department of Children and Youth Affairs

HIQA Inspections

Photo of Gerry AdamsGerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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1953. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs further to the HIQA inspection report published on 12 June 2017, the new process implemented in the Louth Meath area to deal with allegations and complaints; the date on which this new process commenced; and if it has been successful. [28571/17]

Photo of Katherine ZapponeKatherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
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Standard 10 of the National Standards for Foster Care requires that the providers of foster care services (in this case Tusla) ensure that children and young people in foster care are protected from abuse and neglect. The recent themed inspection of foster care services in the Louth/Meath area by the Health Information Quality Authority (HIQA) found that Tusla was substantially compliant with this standard. However the standard was not met as HIQA found that complaints and allegations were not consistently managed in line with Children First. The inspection also found that notifications of allegations were not always sent to the Foster Care Committee in a timely way.

In the Action Plan developed by Tusla in response to HIQA's findings, Tusla outlined the steps that have been taken to address the consistency and management of allegations and complaints. This included clear instructions on the management of complaints and allegations to the senior management team and a follow up meeting with Team Leaders (by way of the Dublin North East Policy for the Management of Serious Concerns and Allegations). The purpose of the memo is to ensure that the change in practice was fully communicated across the area. Using a standardised template the Principal Social Worker will receive written notification of all allegations and serious concerns. Oversight will also be provided by the Chair of the Foster Care Committee, who also receives initial and final notifications of serious concerns and allegations. A practice memo has also been issued to all fostering link social workers to ensure that all are aware of the requirement to notify the Foster Care Committee of allegations and serious concerns in a timely manner.

The success of the new approaches adopted on foot of the HIQA inspection will be monitored and reported on in subsequent inspection reports.

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