Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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458. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the supports and or choices that are available to parents who deem themselves in a position that they cannot provide appropriate care for their children; if Tusla has care services available for the adult and child (details supplied). [47874/22]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, has statutory responsibility under the Child Care Act, 1991, to safeguard children who are not receiving adequate care and protection and to identify children at risk of harm. Tusla provides a continuum of services including early intervention and family support services, child protection and welfare services and alternative care services to identify and respond to the needs of the children and families who are referred.

Anyone can report a concern about a child to Tusla, and information on how to do so is available on the Tusla website. Reports can also be made to An Garda Síochána (AGS). Children who are in a situation of immediate risk may initially be dealt with by AGS or Tusla but usually both agencies work together in such cases.

Where immediate or potential danger is identified to a child from a parent or guardian, this referral is treated with the highest priority and response by Tusla. In the first instance Tusla will ensure, under its Signs of Safety national practice guidance, that the child is safe and that an immediate safety network is identified to support the child and parents. Simultaneously, Tusla will endeavour to work in partnership with the parent(s) or guardian(s) to assess the cause of the difficulties and provide, or refer to, the necessary services. A safety network for the child will be identified and implemented under the Signs of Safety national practice model to ensure the immediate safety of the child or children within the family. Where it is assessed, following completion of an intake and initial assessment process, that significant child protection concerns exist and potential risk of harm to the child by the parents is identified, a child protection case conference is convened. At such a conference a decision may be made to place the child on the child protection notification system (CPNS). Where this threshold of risk is not met (that is, a child protection case conference is not required or the child is not placed on the CPNS), a Tusla led safety plan will be implemented for the child.

If the outcome of the initial screening and visit to the child and family as part of the initial social work preliminary enquiry is that a child cannot stay in the care of their parent or guardian due to immediate risk of significant harm to the child’s safety or life, consideration will be given to whether there are appropriate extended family members to provide immediate care for the child and also whether consideration of admission to foster or residential care, age appropriate to the child’s care needs, is necessary to ensure the child’s /young person’s safety. An admission to care will occur either with the voluntary consent of the parent(s) or guardian(s) or by Tusla making an application to the district court for an emergency care order or interim care order application.

In some circumstances where child protection concerns exist in relation to new born infants Tusla, following a detailed assessment by the social work teams, may consider as appropriate to the child’s safety and the parent’s needs, whether a residential parenting assessment unit for mother and baby is required. This would potentially be a matter for Court oversight and representation by legal teams. The appointment of a Guardian ad litem would also be considered by the Court in these circumstances.

Where necessary Tusla seeks to engage relevant services and professionals to provide appropriate supports for parents. Acute crises for parents that necessitate interventions by mental health or addiction services would be a matter for the HSE in close liaison with Tusla teams in respect of care arrangements of the children concerned.

Tusla is also tasked with providing family support services in accordance with Section 8 of the Child and Family Agency Act, 2013, which are provided directly and by commissioning family support services through its community and voluntary sector partners.

Family support services are focused on early intervention with the aim of promoting and protecting the health, well-being and rights of children, young people and their families. At the same time, particular attention is given to those who are vulnerable or at risk.

The number of family and community supports are wide and varied. Tusla is engaged in the following family and community supports:

- Family Resource Centres

- Family therapeutic services

- Prevention Partnership Family Support

- Parenting Information/ Parenting 24/7

- Child and Youth Participation

- Meitheal

- Psychological Services

- Early Years (pre-school)

- School Age Services

- Alternative Education and Registration Services

These services include those delivered directly by Tusla, including those provided under the Prevention, Partnership, and Family Support (PPFS) service, and those which are funded or co-funded by Tusla. Tusla also directly supports family support services through structures such as Family Resource Centres (FRCs) and the Area Based Childhood Programme.

Tusla has also established Child and Family Support Networks (CFSNs), which are collaborative networks of community, voluntary and statutory providers. CFSNs seek to improve access to support services for children and their families. Each network consists of services that play a role in the lives of children and families in that area. Local CFSNs co-ordinators can be contacted to provide further details on the services available in a local area.