TUSLA REPORTS DELAY PUT CHILDREN AT RISK

Study reveals potential dangers

CHILDREN were left in potentially harmful situations due to delays in conducting probes into abuse claims, according to a new report.

The Health Information and Quality Authority study into Tusla services in the Carlow/kilkenny/south Tipperary service area noted delays completing preliminary reports.

Investigations revealed a “drift and delay” in finishing the studies which varied between two and 11 months left children in potentially unsafe and abusive situations.

Such investigations should have been completed within five days of allegations being made.

The report noted these children and families had “not received the right service at the right time” as a result.

Deficiencies in systems meant to ensure allegations were forwarded from social workers to gardai resulted in cases where concerns raised were not sent as required.

During their fieldwork investigators decided to escalate 10 cases over concerns that there was a potential risk to children.

In six cases preliminary enquiries were not completed or begun in periods of six and 11 months and four were deemed high priority as they related to physical or sexual abuse.

While the content of the primary enquiries conducted by social workers after initial screening was “mostly comprehensive” the delay completing some preliminary enquiries “compromised the overall quality” of the process. Inspectors found 75% of the preliminary enquiries they reviewed were not completed within five days and or in circumstances where this was appropriate Although the area had increased capacity for initial assessments since the last inspection, numbers waiting had not improved as more cases were being referred.

Children on the list were at risk as there was no reliable system to measure the risk to those waiting or to effectively protect them from potential harm.

The “themed” inspection aimed to assess the agency’s compliance with national standards relating to the management of referrals up until the initial assessment was complete.

Investigations also found the service met just one of the six standards in the areas surveyed across four days in January.

Tusla service director Dermot Halpin said the report gave the agency “important additional measurement and oversight” to add to the work already done in identifying deficiencies in service.

He said: “It also assists us with ensuring that our child protection and welfare services operate at the highest possible standard”.

months – length it took some Tusla reports to be finished

cases were escalated after it was determined kids were at high risk