Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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217. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of children in foster care without a social care worker. [52344/17]

Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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218. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of children in relative care without a social care worker. [52345/17]

Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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219. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of children in foster care without a link worker. [52346/17]

Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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220. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of children in relative care without a link worker. [52347/17]

Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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224. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of children that are in private foster care. [52351/17]

Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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225. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of children that are in Tusla foster care. [52352/17]

Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 217 to 220, inclusive, 224 and 225 together.

Under the National Standards for Foster Care, all children living in foster care should be allocated a social worker.

Tusla has informed me that as of the end of September 2017, 95% of children in general foster care had an allocated a social worker, and 93% of children in relative foster care had an allocated social worker.

Tusla have assured me that a social worker is always allocated in the following circumstances:

- When children are in care less than 6 months.

- When children are preparing to leave care.

When children have a disability, a mental health issue or challenging behaviour.

- When children are unaccompanied and seeking asylum.

- When a child's placement is deemed to be unstable.

If a child has not been allocated a social worker, their needs are reviewed regularly by the principal social worker, and all urgent and emergency cases notified to Tusla are dealt with immediately.

As of the end of September 2017, the latest data available, there were 6,231 children in care. Of these, 5,354 children were in statutory Tusla foster care, and 375 children were in private foster care placements.

The National Standards also state that approved foster carers are supervised by a professionally qualified link social worker. This person ensures that foster carers have access to information, advise and professional support necessary to enable them to provide high quality care.

At the end of the second quarter of 2017, the latest data available in relation to link social workers indicates that 2,513 approved general foster carers had an allocated link social worker and 294 were awaiting allocation. Data also indicates that 1,020 approved relative foster carers had an allocated link social worker, and 159 were awaiting allocation. There were 311 unapproved relative foster carers and 87% (271) of them had a child placed with them for longer than 12 weeks. Of these 271 unapproved relative foster carers, 70% (190) had an allocated link social worker.

Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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221. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the average number of weeks that a social worker stays with Tusla. [52348/17]

Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
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I have been advised by Tusla that the average length of service of social workers in Tusla is 543 weeks i.e. 10.44 years. This figure is based on the length of service for each social worker from start date to present date and averaged by the number of social workers in the Agency which is 1,469.40 whole time equivalent (WTE) as at 31 October, 2017. It also includes service pre-agency establishment i.e. with the HSE, Children and Family Services.

This average figure of 543 weeks demonstrates the wealth of experience and long average service of social workers in Tusla.

Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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222. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the maximum number of cases that can be assigned to a social care worker by Tusla. [52349/17]

Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
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Tusla has advised that the allocation of cases to a social care worker is a matter for supervision by the line manager. No minimum or maximum numbers of cases are set down. The matter is reviewed on a monthly basis and is decided on the basis of the experience of the worker concerned and the presenting needs of the clients.

Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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223. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the average number of cases that are assigned to a social care worker by Tusla. [52350/17]

Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
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Tusla has advised that social care workers within Tusla residential childcare services are typically assigned one key child at various times while social care workers in the community working in aftercare would typically work on up to 25 cases, depending on the complexity of the cases.

In terms of service provision in other community based services the average case loads for social care workers are quite varied as follows:

- Community Childcare Workers: 6-10 cases depending on intensity of work, number of sessions and whether work is being done with the carers as this may be done in mornings when children at school. Play Therapists take on a maximum of two referrals alongside the above caseload. Caseloads are carefully monitored and managed by the Alternative Care Manager.

- Marte Meo Therapist: 6-8 families depending on number of visits and recordings needed.

- OARS Family Workers: OARS is an intensive family support service. Social care workers work in the family home three to four times a week for up to 14 hours per week. Two family assessments involving an intensive six week period working with families are carried out at any one time. Other intervention work is carried out where possible (1/2 families max). Social care workers work on a maximum of four cases at any one time.

- Ohana House: Ohana staff are based in the centre and provide support and supervision to families during access. The average caseload for an access worker is 10 cases.

-TOPS: TOPS work with young people on group based activities as well as individually tailored programs. The average caseload at present for an access worker is 9-10 cases.

Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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226. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of social workers who have ceased employment with Tusla in each of the years 2014 to 2016 and to date in 2017, by their given reasons for leaving. [52353/17]

Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
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Tusla has confirmed that the number of social workers who have ceased employment for each of the years 2014 to 2016 and for 2017 to 30/09/2017 is 471. This figure does not include retirements, death or permanent infirmity.

Social Work Leavers/Career break 01/01/2014 to 30/09/2017

The known reasons for leaving are varied and include going abroad; family and personal reasons; further training; and alternative employment opportunities.