Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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566. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the extent to which she remains satisfied that sufficient staff with the appropriate qualifications remain available to her Department to address such issues as child abuse; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43580/19]

Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
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I am informed by Tusla that as of the end of June 2019, the most recent verified figures available, there were 5,759 cases awaiting allocation of a social worker.

Tusla has confirmed that of these cases, 991 (17.2%) were categorised as high priority; 1,868 (32.4%) cases were low priority; and 2,900 (50.4%) were medium priority.  

The priority level assigned to the case is based on the resources required to address the case, rather than on risk to the child.  I am informed that all urgent and emergency cases receive immediate attention by the local duty social work team.

It is important to note that CORU is required to accredit courses for the education and training of all social workers, as well as registering individual social workers. Social workers are educated and registered as generic social workers, who may then apply to take up employment in specific areas such as child protection, probation, mental health and disability services.  Accordingly, social workers are required to undertake at least two placements on a CORU accredited training course.  The placement has to be supervised by a registered experienced social worker and a student is required to undertake at least one statutory placement (Tusla or Probation Services) and to have experience of both adult and children's services. Students have to pass their placement in order to graduate.

I can assure the Deputy that addressing the needs of children who are awaiting the allocation of a social worker is one of my key priorities.  I have continued to secure additional funding each year for Tusla since becoming Minister in 2016 and in 2019 Tusla’s allocation was €783 million. I have achieved a further €31 million for 2020.

I am aware of Tusla’s significant proactive approach to the recruitment of social workers in a difficult and challenging recruitment environment where the supply of social workers is limited and where Tusla is competing with the HSE and the voluntary and private sectors.

Tusla has advised that the total number of whole time equivalent staff in Tusla at 31 August 2019 is 4004, of whom 1,513 are social workers.  Tusla has also informed me that recruitment efforts to 31 August 2019 are ahead of target for Social Work with a total  figure of 149 hires.  This has resulted in an increase of Social Workers by 64 Whole Time Equivalent (WTE), when attrition is taken into account.

I am also informed that Tusla Recruit is operating 16 social work specific campaigns for example:

- a rolling campaign for Professionally Qualified Social Workers,

- the Social Work Graduate Programme designed to recruit new graduates,

- Social Work Team Lead,

- Senior Social Work Practitioner, and

- Principal Social Worker.

I requested that Tusla develop a strategic multi-annual workforce plan, which would include reflection of the labour market and the current limited supply of social workers.  I am pleased that Tusla now has a Strategic Workforce Planning Model which I understand will be rolled out over the coming years.

I welcome the fact that there is a focus on recruitment and retention as part of the roll-out of the Strategic Workforce Implementation Plan, assisting staff wellbeing by assessing workplace stressors and critical incident exposure in the workplace.

The Model will also seek to deliver on a strategic focus for Tusla with a gradual transition to multi-disciplinary teams. The multi-disciplinary teams will look to consist of the optimum mix of skills across social work, social care, therapeutic staff, family support, education welfare and administrative support.

My Department has also taken the initiative to establish the Social Work Education Group which provides a forum for Tusla and other stakeholders to explore and act upon possible actions to influence the future supply of social workers.

The first priority identified by the Group is the streamlining of student placements.  My Department has commissioned research to identify ways and alternative approaches to streamline this process, working with stakeholders. I understand a final report is due shortly and possible next steps will be considered.