Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
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444. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will outline the purpose of a Tusla practice assurance and service monitoring team report; the number of PASM reports that Tusla has carried out since the agency was established; if he will list the primary pseudonym used in each report; the PASM reports that he has read or been briefed on since he took office; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35666/22]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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Practice Assurance and Service Monitoring (PASM) reports are an internal management tool employed by Tusla to support the provision of high quality services for children and families. The monitoring extends to a very broad cross section of Tusla activity.

Over the last number of years quarterly meetings have taken place between the Quality & Regulation Directorate (formerly the Quality Assurance Directorate) and the Child Care Performance and Social Work Unit (led by the Chief Social Worker). In recent years the Quality & Regulation Directorate have furnished the Department with a quarterly report of their work at these meetings. The last time one of these meetings took place was 16^thDecember 2021. However, it is planned that these meetings will commence again shortly.

The most recent report the Department has received is from December 2021 and relates to Q3 2021. This report entitled QuAD & Operations Joint Report, Incorporating the Chief Risk Officer Report and Response from the Director of Services and Integrations details:

- An integrated overview of key trends concerning Tusla performance through the presentation of performance data and information relating to risks, incidents and complaints compiled by the Quality Assurance Directorate for the most recent reporting period;

- Information relating to where specific assurance and service improvement activity is required by providing an analysis of the findings of the Practice Assurance and Service Monitoring Team’s programme of audit and service review activity;

- Findings from the most recent HIQA inspections;

- A response to the findings in the report from the Director of Services and Integration on actions that have commenced/been implemented to mitigate the performance challenges and risks identified in the report.

These reports are read and discussed by attendees at the quarterly meetings.

A new Practice Audit Framework for all PASM reports has been developed and piloted in 2021 and is ready for full implementation in 2022.

Department officials regularly monitor Tusla performance across all areas and liaise with Tusla on the findings of its reports, the internal audits they conduct and associated follow-on actions. My Department also responds to inspections carried out by HIQA and reports generated by the Ombudsman for Children office.

I am aware that the Deputy has raised other points with Tusla and I understand that Tusla is preparing an overall response to the Deputy. I will ensure this is shared as soon as possible.