Reports show risks in children's services remain despite improvements
Risks remain in children's services due to staffing shortages, ineffective governance and management and a lack of regulation, the Health Information and Quality Authority has warned.
An analysis of Hiqa's inspection and investigation findings last year shows that while some children and families receive a quality and timely service, others do not.
Hiqa conducted 65 inspections of children's social services throughout 2018, with reports highlighting many improvements.
The services include foster care, children's residential centres, Oberstown Children's Detention Campus and special care units.
However, risks in children's services remain due to staffing shortages, ineffective governance and management, and a lack of regulation.
Hiqa's director of regulation and chief inspector of social services, Mary Dunnion, said regulation of other health and social care services showed it was a driver of quality and safety.
There is no regulation of child protection and welfare or foster care services in Ireland.
“This means that Hiqa does not have the legal remit to take action when inspectors uncover examples of poor or unsafe service provision other than to escalate the situation to Tusla and to the Department of Children and Youth Affairs,” said Ms Dunnion.
The authority is working with the department on transferring the registration and inspection functions for non-statutory children's residential centres from Tusla to the chief inspector in Hiqa.
Chief executive of the Children's Rights Alliance Tanya Ward said there had to be "a more dynamic focus" in Tusla on getting more social workers on the frontline.
"When social workers have too many cases open it puts a lot of pressure on them. They don't get through them as effectively and there is always a concern that children can fall between the cracks."
