Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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532. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the length of time children in Dublin south city LHO and the catchment areas of Rathmines, Terenure and Rathfarnham are waiting to be allocated a social worker, in respect of cases, including high priority cases, of child protection and children in care. [49225/17]

Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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533. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the length of time children in Cork south Lee LHO and the catchment area of Douglas are waiting to be allocated a social worker, in respect of cases, including high priority cases, of child protection and children in care. [49232/17]

Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 532 and 533 together.

Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, has informed me that, at the end of August 2017, there were 6,237 children in care. Of these, 323 (5%) did not have an allocated social worker. It is important to note that if a child has not been allocated a social worker, their needs are reviewed regularly by the Principal Social Worker.

Tusla does not collate data by county; however the the relevant information, correct to end of August 2017 is detailed in the following table. This information is published monthly as the “National Performance and Activity Dashboard” on .

I am informed by Tusla that a case awaiting allocation may be listed as 'active' on a 'duty ' system. This means that there are actions being undertaken by a dedicated duty team or rotating social workers on a duty roster to progress the protection and welfare of the child. Examples of actions being undertaken include telephone calls relating to the concern, visits to see the child, completing initial assessments and, where a child is in care, completing child in care reviews or care plans.

I can inform the Deputy that there were 25,775 open cases nationally at the end of August which includes children in care. Of these, 5,536 were awaiting allocation of a social worker. An open case is one which is assessed as needing a dedicated (allocated) social work service. Of these, 1,019 were designated as high priority, 3,441 as medium priority and 1,076 as low priority. A high priority case can include children needing further child protection assessment and intervention, children involved with child protection court proceedings, children in care for less than 6 months and children with high risk mental health and anti-social difficulties. Many children who are deemed medium and low priority have welfare rather than child protection needs and will engage with family support services.

The following table provides information on the length of time the 1,019 high priority open cases are awaiting allocation of a social worker.

High Priority Open Cases Awaiting Allocation, by time waiting August 2017

Addressing the number of children who are awaiting the allocation of a social worker is a priority for me. I secured additional funding for the purpose of addressing this issue in 2017, and Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, is now in the second year of a 3-year plan to provide for the allocation of a dedicated social worker to all children who need one. The Deputy should note that all urgent and emergency cases notified to Tusla are dealt with immediately. Urgent and emergency cases could involve cases of abandonment, allegations of physical and sexual abuse, parental ill health leading to the need for an immediate placement, or threat to the safety or life of a child by a third party.

My Department will continue to closely monitor progress in this regard and I will continue to engage directly with the Tusla Board and senior management team to review progress.