The Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) has today published a report of an inspection to assess whether Child and Family Agency (Tusla) social workers in the Galway Roscommon service area were fulfilling their statutory duties of monitoring placements for children in residential care. 

HIQA is authorised by the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth under Section 69 of the Child Care Act, 1991 as amended by Section 26 of the Child Care (Amendment) Act 2011, to inspect children’s residential centres provided by Tusla. HIQA monitors Tusla’s performance against the Child Care (Placement of Children in Residential Care) Regulations 1995 and reports on its findings to the Minister. 

This inspection assessed compliance with four regulations on care records, care plans, the supervision and visiting of children, and the review of cases. The service area was found to be compliant with three regulations and substantially compliant in a fourth.

The management and oversight of care planning and reviews for children in residential care was effective. Children in residential care had up-to-date written care plans which were informed by children’s assessed needs. Inspectors found that children were provided with the opportunity to participate, and be consulted, in the development of plans for their care. Care plans contained comprehensive actions outlining the supports to be provided to the child, the residential centre and parents and care givers where appropriate. There were clear detailed plans for maintaining contact between the children, their families and friends.

Inspectors found that all children had a child-in-care review meeting which was completed within the regulatory time frames. Case records demonstrated that children were encouraged and facilitated by the service area to participate and contribute to their care plan review. Inspectors found that, where age appropriate, children attended their review, or if they chose not to attend, they completed a review form which detailed their views and opinions, this was then shared at the review meeting.

Children were visited within the time frames set out in the regulations. Records showed that additional visits to children in their placements also took place outside of the requirements as needed. 

Case records required improvement. Inspectors found they were not always uploaded in a timely manner or in a consistent way. 

The inspection report can be found at the link below.