Pauline Tully (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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89. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to create additional places in further and higher education facilities in the 2023-24 academic year to ensure the provision of an appropriate pipeline of qualified social workers needed to staff Tusla; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6861/23]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The Programme for Government commits the Department of Health to working with the education sectors, regulators, and professional bodies to improve the availability of health professionals and reform their training to support integrated care across the entire health service.

Currently, six higher education institutes (HEIs) have accredited programmes providing professional qualifications in social work. Two programmes are at the undergraduate level, with the majority of programmes at a post-graduate level. My Department does not place a cap on the number of Social Work places.

The Social Work Education Group (SWEG) was established by the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth in January 2019, and comprises all relevant higher education institutions along with other key players such as the Health Service Executive (HSE), Tusla, Probation Service, and representation from DFHERIS.

This work has led to an action plan being developed to support expansion in the pipeline of Social Workers. A SWEG survey of HEIs last year identified that current prospective student demand is being met by the current provision of social work programmes however, the current supply does not appear to be sufficient to meet the demands of the health and social care sector. Accordingly, a key focus of this plan is to attract larger numbers of suitable prospective students to apply for Social Work programmes and market research has commenced to assist with identifying the reasons more students are not seeking to be social workers. The findings of the market research will inform follow-up actions identified in the plan.

With specific reference to Tusla, I understand that it recently announced a Social Work Sponsorship Programme pilot for Tusla employees, in collaboration with Robert Gordon University Aberdeen, to provide Social Work education via distance and blended learning enabling a work-based pathway for Tusla employees to return to education and become a qualified Social Worker. I am also informed that Tusla recently launched a transition year engagement pilot in Q4 of 2022 with the aim of building awareness of Tusla and to positively promote the work the Agency does in and with communities across the country.