The Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) has today published an inspection report on the Child and Family Agency’s (Tusla’s) foster care services in the Midlands service area.

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 foster care services provided by Tusla and to report on its findings to the Minister, and to inspect services taking care of a child on behalf of Tusla, including non-statutory providers of foster care. HIQA monitors foster care services against the 2003 National Standards for Foster Care.

HIQA conducted an inspection of foster care services in the Midlands service area between 1 and 3 August 2023.

Of the seven standards assessed, five were found to be compliant and two were found to be substantially compliant. Overall, the inspection found that there were effective governance and management structures in place to oversee the fostering service and to ensure that the service provided was child centred, consistent and appropriate to meet children’s needs.

Children’s rights were promoted and respected by the provider, and inspectors found that children were being treated with dignity and respect. This meant that children were enabled to exercise choice in their foster care placement and to use their initiative as an active participant in their own development and learning.

There was not a sufficient number of foster carers to meet the current needs of children within the service area, which impacted on their ability to place children within their own communities and to match children with foster carers effectively. Despite those challenges, the provider had encouraged and facilitated children in foster care to maintain and develop family relationships and placed children with their siblings and in relative foster care when this was in line with their assessed needs. Children’s needs in relation to diversity and disability were promoted by the provider. Inspectors found that the foster care service took account of considerations such as individual assessed needs, illness and disability, culture, ethnicity and religion when planning for children.

This inspection report and compliance plan can be found on www.hiqa.ie.