Over 400 children in State care are without a social worker

More than 400 children in the care of the State are waiting for a social worker to be assigned to them.

New figures show waiting lists have increased as Tusla, the State child protection agency, has encountered problems recruiting additional social workers for children at risk.

Tusla currently has 25,387 cases of children with welfare or child protection concerns who have qualified for a social worker. These include children in State care, foster homes, or who are still living with their families.

Some 5,720 of these children (23 per cent) have yet to be allocated a social worker, according to the most recent figures compiled by Tusla.

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The number of children on the waiting list to be allocated a social worker has increased by 33 per cent in a five month period. In October 2016, 4,282 children’s cases were outstanding. This had increased to 5,720 by February 2017, and 1,057 of these children were recorded as being high priority.

The number of “high priority” children waiting for a social worker for more than three months increased from 214 in September 2016, to 386 in February 2017.

Of the 6,309 children in State care, 525 did not have a written plan for their care in place, while 411 were waiting for a social worker to be assigned to them.

In the north Dublin area, 827 children referred to child services are waiting for a social worker, 626 children are on the waiting list in Cork, two areas with the highest waiting lists.

Caroline O’Sullivan, chief executive of the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children said “a worrying amount” of high priority cases are now without social workers. “It is vital that every child in the care of the State has a care plan,” Ms O’Sullivan said.

A spokeswoman from Tusla said the “numbers of cases awaiting allocation can be affected by a wide and complex range of factors”. Referrals of children to child protection services had increased by 8 per cent in recent years, she said, adding difficulties filling vacancies and recruiting social workers also affected the waiting list.

Additional funding

A spokesman for the Department of Children said Tusla has been allocated additional funding to hire more social workers, but that “the recruitment environment for social workers is very challenging”.

Tusla had planned to hire 140 additional social workers this year, according to figures obtained by Social Democrats TD Róisín Shortall from a written parliamentary question. Minister for Children Katherine Zappone replied to Ms Shortall to say difficulties attracting social care graduates means Tusla has estimated it will only take on 40 extra care workers in 2017.

About 215 qualified social workers graduate each year. Tusla has faced increased competition from other agencies, such as the HSE, private hospitals, and advocacy groups in recruiting graduates, according to a spokesman from the Department of Children.

Neil Forsyth, service manager at Focus Ireland, which provides support services to children in care on behalf of Tusla, said State social workers are "working with enormous caseloads in an extremely stressful environment, they are at breaking point".

Social workers in the State system can have caseloads of more than 30 children Mr Forsyth said, where international norms would be closer to 15. Tusla has said around 150 social workers leave the State agency each year, due to resignation, career breaks, or retirement.

Joe Mooney worked as a social worker in the Dublin South East region for a year and a half before leaving. Mr Mooney said the pressure placed on staff has led to social workers leaving Tusla. “There is a big issue in the lack of retention of social workers. I was in a well resourced area and still had 26 cases, other areas are much worse. You feel like you’re just fire-fighting every day,” he said.