Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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1123. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the steps that are taken following the receipt of a complaint against Tusla; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46617/17]

Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
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I understand that the Deputy's question relates to complaints in relation to Tusla's Child Protection and Welfare services.

Section 64 of the Child and Family Agency Act, 2013, requires Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, to establish procedures for dealing with complaints against the Agency or a service provider.

Tusla introduced its complaints policy, "Tell Us: You Say, We Listen"in September 2016. All complaints received by Tusla, from this date, are managed under the "Tell Us"policy. Any individual who wishes to make a complaint about Tusla services can do so through the "Tell Us"complaints process. Contact details and further information are on Tusla's website www.tusla.ie. "Tell Us: You Say, We Listen" explains how complaints can be managed or feedback can be provided with a focus on local and speedy resolution. Where informal local resolution is not possible, a Complaints Officer will be appointed to examine the matter. This process takes up to 30 days. If it takes longer, the process provides for regular updates every 20 days. If, after that, a person remains dissatisfied with the recommendations of the investigation, they can either seek a review of their complaint by a Tusla review officer or contact the Ombudsman or Ombudsman for Children's Office. All complainants are advised of this.

In order to ensure independence with regard to complaints investigations, "Tell Us" provides that a complaints officer should not be involved in managing a complaint about a matter in which they have had either a direct or indirect involvement. In such circumstance the complaint must be passed to another complaints officer not linked to the complaint.

It should also be emphasised that Tusla follows the Children First National Guidance for the Protection and Welfare of Children, 2017, in responding to all allegations of child protection and welfare concerns. In addition, since its approval in September 2014, a national policy, ‘Policy & Procedures for Responding to Allegations of Child Abuse & Neglect’, was implemented to ensure a standardised approach in responding to, and assessing, all child protection and welfare concerns relating to children.