Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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561. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of reports of child abuse in situations of children in residential care directly in the custody of the State or otherwise; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31540/17]

Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
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Tusla, Child and Family Agency, has advised that information of the type requested by the Deputy is not collated nationally.

Individual cases of children in care are reported to Tusla and dealt with under Children First Guidelines. Each referral is assessed and dealt with on an individual basis by the relevant social work team. The immediate actions that result from a report are aimed at removing the risk from the children in the first instance.

There are safeguards surrounding each child care placement, whether foster or residential care. Placements are supervised by a professionally qualified social worker, and the provision of care services is monitored by Tusla management and subject to inspections by the Health Information Quality Authority and by Tusla Registration Services.

The Deputy should also be aware that children in care have access to independent advocacy supports, such as the organisation Empowering People in Care, or EPIC. Children in care also have access to the complaints mechanism in Tusla, and may make complaints, or be assisted to make complaints, about their care to the Office of the Ombudsman for Children.

Tusla,Child and Family Agency, receives over 45,000 referrals of child welfare and protection concerns each year from officials and members of the public. In 2016, Tusla received 47,399 referrals, of which 60% related to welfare concerns. Referrals are most often received from members of An Garda Síochána or from employees of the HSE or of Tusla.