Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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196. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the extent to which the number of children at risk can be identified and have their issues addressed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7388/19]

Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
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Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, is the statutory body with responsibility for child protection in Ireland. Tusla has experienced a 40% growth in child welfare and protection referrals since its establishment in 2014. This increase in referrals clearly shows the growing awareness and concern in society with respect to children’s wellbeing and safety.

Where Tusla assess that a child is at risk, due to their home situation or, indeed, their own risk taking behaviour, they work with the parents/carers to see if the child can remain living safely at home with social work and family support interventions.

In January 2019, I attended the joint launch of the Tusla/HSE ‘Hidden Harm Strategic Statement’ to alert people to the effects of substance misuse behind closed doors. ‘Hidden Harm’ is the term now being used to describe the damage caused to children where their parents or carers abuse alcohol or drugs.

My Department and Tusla have been working hard to ensure early preventative services are in place to help families with these difficulties. Tusla is implementing its Partnership Prevention Family Support Programme (PPFS) to identify, with other professionals and families, ways of helping families and children before problems become habitual.

Tusla has a Child Protection Notification System (CPNS), a list of children living at home, who are deemed to be at current risk, and who are subjected to child protection case conferences and structured interventions. The reasons stated for a significant number of these children’s listing is due to an adult mental health problem, addiction or domestic violence.

When a child’s situation is at such a level of risk that they cannot be protected safely at home, they are either received into care on a voluntary basis or Tusla apply to the courts for a care order. Tusla act immediately on notification of an immediate risk to a child. Children who are in a situation of immediate risk may initially be dealt with by An Garda Síochána or by Tusla, but in the main both agencies work together in such cases.

Gardaí have specific powers under Section 12 of the Child Care Act to remove a child from a situation of danger, and under Section 13 of to deliver that child into the custody of Tusla. At that point, Tusla will carry out an assessment to determine the child's needs. In all cases, a plan will be put in place to ensure that the child is safe from harm.

I thank the Deputy for his ongoing interest in this important area.