Tusla commit to address issues highlighted in report on services in South Tipp

Image: Tusla.ie

Tusla – the Child and Family Agency – has responded to a HIQA inspection of its services in South Tipp, Carlow and Kilkenny.

The health watchdog reported that Tusla provided a good quality service to children identified as at ongoing risk of significant harm in the area.

The HIQA inspection focused on children listed on the Child Protection Notification System who were subject to a child protection safety plan, and the aligned governance arrangements in place to ensure effective and timely service delivery to these children.

Of six standards assessed, five were found to be compliant or substantially compliant, while a further standard was found to be non-compliant.

The inspection found that the South Tipperary/Carlow/Kilkenny service had effective leadership, governance and management arrangements in place, which ensured that children identified as at ongoing risk of significant harm received a consistent, good quality service.

Children who spoke with inspectors gave positive accounts of their experience of the child protection service, and the majority of children felt that their lives had improved because of the social workers’ involvement with their family.

The report also pointed to areas where improvements were required, in particular inspectors noted that suitable residential placements could not be sourced for two children who required them. While this situation was not satisfactory, supports were being provided to these children to keep them safe at the time of the inspection.

Tusla has recently published its Residential Care Strategic Plan, in which the Agency identifies the actions required over the next three years to increase the number of Tusla Residential Care Placements.

Area Manager for South Tipperary/Carlow/Kilkenny Tusla Anne Marie Stafford says the inspection report points to many examples of the good work done by Tusla staff day to day. However she accepted that they have further work to do.

A number of additional posts have been approved for the area, including two additional social care worker posts, a quality assurance post and a clinical psychology post.