Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

486. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of children listed as being active on the child protection notification system for each of the past four years; the location of the children by county in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29268/18]

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

The Child Protection Notification System (CPNS), in accordance with Children First: National Guidelines for the Protection and Welfare of Children, 2011, is a national record of all children who are the subject of a child protection plan agreed at a child protection conference. The CPNS is accessible to named professional groups subject to strict protocols.

Each referral received by Tusla is assessed and dealt with on an individual basis by the relevant social work team. Approximately 60% of referrals to Tusla are of a child welfare concern with the remaining 40% related to child protection concerns. Tusla's policy is to refer child welfare referrals to relevant family and community support services. At any stage, if a determination is made that there is abuse, whether physical, emotional, sexual or neglect, from which there is an ongoing risk of harm, the child protection pathway is followed. In a minority of cases this may lead to the child being placed on the Child Protection Notification System (CPNS) or the child being received into care.

Using the most recent data available, I can inform the deputy that, as of March 2018, there was 1,250 children active on the CPNS. Tusla does not collate data by county but by administrative area. The following table details the number of children listed as active at the end of each year from Q4 2014 to Q1 2018.

Table: The total number of children at the end of the reporting period who were listed as active on the CPNS

Please note that data for Q4 2015 - Q1 2018 is from the National Child Protection Notification System (CPNS) which was introduced in 2015. Data for Q4 2014 is collated from systems held locally. Also, data prior to Q4 2017 may include children visiting from another jurisdiction who were on a similar system in that jurisdiction at the time of their arrival and who were placed on the National CPNS for the duration of their stay.