Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 4 December 2025
412. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of Special Emergency Arrangement providers that her Department has sought clarification or assurance on since 2022 including the reasons such clarifications were requested. [68849/25]
View answerThe Department of Children, Disability and Equality works closely with Tusla to ensure the quality and safety of all Special Emergency Arrangements (SEA) and will continue to support them in these efforts.
I can inform the Deputy that officials from the Department regularly receives correspondence from both members of the public and stakeholders in respect of matters relating to SEAs. Additionally, officials regularly engage with counterparts in Tusla through a range of different fora, in respect of the delivery of residential services, including SEAs.
I can inform the Deputy that Tusla has specific Standard Operating Procedures for the governing of SEA placements, which detail extensive checks that any prospective provider must adhere to.
Additionally, all SEA providers are vetted by the Central Compliance Unit (CCU) of Tusla, which ensures that Garda vetting and appropriate qualifications are in order before any child is placed with a prospective provider. The CCU also carries out spot checks to validate staff on active duty.
Tusla has also advised that it has created a centralised database of staff screening information relating to each provider of Special Emergency Arrangements, which provides assurance on the vetting, qualifications and experience of staff employed by organisations providing care on its behalf.
Tusla also uses Practice Assurance and Service Monitoring (PASM) reports to support the provision of high-quality services for children and families. The monitoring extends across Tusla activity, including SEAs.
The Alternative Care Inspection and Monitoring Service (ACIMS) managed by Tusla is responsible for the registration and inspection of non-statutory (private and voluntary) children’s residential centres. It is a requirement that all SEA service providers apply for registration for their respective services with ACIMS.
As such, ACIMS has met with each Special Emergency Arrangements provider to support moves to registered regulated services. Tusla has advised that between January and May 2025, ACIMS met and actively engaged with 14 current SEA providers on the process of registering their centres. Since May 2024, 5 SEA providers for 11 centres have successfully registered a centre with ACIMS. There are a number of outstanding active applications, among which some ACIMS anticipate may be eligible for registration.
Tusla continues to work to reduce the reliance on SEA placements, whilst in the interim making such placements more safe, secure and efficient. The Department will continue to support the Agency in these efforts.
