The Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) has today published an inspection report to assess whether the Child and Family Agency’s (Tusla’s) social workers in the Dublin North 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 plan, supervision and visiting of children, and review of cases. The service area was found to be compliant with three regulations and substantially compliant with one regulation.

Care plans were of good quality and were child centred. They were informed by children’s assessed needs and promoted children’s welfare. Children were consulted with and involved in developing their care plans. Inspectors found that the child’s voice was listened to and that their views were recorded in their care plans. Reviews of care plans took place within or very close to the legally defined timelines. Reasons for the delays were documented on children’s files and did not impact on children’s safety. 

Records reviewed by inspectors confirmed that all children whose cases were reviewed were visited within, or close to, the time frames set out in the regulations. Additional visits were made to children and examples of these included visits in response to the child’s request to see their social worker or a social worker’s response to a concern or incident. 

Records of visits were of good quality and up to date. Records showed that children were listened to and had the opportunity to share their views, wishes and concerns with their social workers. Other case records were also up to date, accessible and kept in line with the requirements of the regulations. 

The report can be found at the link below.