Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

1654. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs further to the recent inspection report by HIQA on the foster care service operated by Tusla in the Cork service area, if her attention has been drawn to the fact that six of the eight standards assessed were non compliant, five of which were judged to be major non-compliances; the steps she will take to ensure future compliance; and if the necessary resources will be made available to meet standards of oversight and monitoring. [37616/17]

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

As part of its 2017 Monitoring Programme, the Health Information Quality Authority (HIQA) are conducting thematic inspections of Tusla's Foster Care Services. These inspections are announced in advance and cover eight standards in the National Standards for Foster Care, relating to the recruitment, assessment, approval, supervision and review of foster carers. The inspection report referred to by the Deputy was carried out under three themes, safe and effective services, leadership and governance, and use of resources. The inspection report found that of the eight standards assessed during the inspection, two standards were substantially compliant, one was non-compliant (moderate) and five standards were non-compliant (major).

The HIQA inspection report found a number of positives and noted that all of the children had an allocated social worker, there were examples of good practice in relation to safeguarding, and training programmes were available to assist foster carers in maintaining the necessary skills and knowledge required to provide high quality care. The standards that HIQA found were non-compliant (major) related to Theme 2, Safe and Effective Services, and Theme 5, Use of Resources. The issues identified by HIQA inspectors related to the recruitment and retention of an appropriate range of foster carers, the assessment and approval of foster carers, and the provision of supervision and support, training and reviews of foster carers. In the area of safeguarding and child protection, some of the inspection findings related to Garda vetting forms not being updated within the required timeframe, and the need for more consistent and better management of complaints and allegations made against foster carers. Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, provided an action plan addressing all the findings of the report, which was agreed with HIQA and published with the report.

Tusla has informed me that all cases raised by HIQA have been reviewed by the area. The inspection report noted that the number of link social workers was a factor in the issues identified by inspectors. Link social workers work directly in the recruitment and support of foster carers. Tusla filled two new permanent social work posts approved in 2016, and two further permanent social workers are to be recruited in 2017. In the interim, two agency staff are in post since end of June 2017. Recommendations in respect of foster carers made by the Foster Care Committee will be actively followed through by the foster care link social worker and a progress report will be sent to the Foster Care Committee by the end of 2017, and annually thereafter.

Tusla has advised that it is committed to overseeing the implementation of the actions and has put in place an oversight group to monitor progress.