Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 26 May 2026
1071. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the reason the chief social worker role within her Department no longer exists; if she will consider restoring this role given the huge challenges being faced by the State's care system, the reforms underway by Tusla and the concerns raised by same and given the importance of this role within her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40231/26]
View answerThe Department seeks to co-ordinate and develop key actions, policies and strategies across Government relating to children and young people. It also works on issues relating to some of our most vulnerable groups including children at risk, children in the care of the State, and other vulnerable, minority and disadvantaged groups.
A key part of fulfilling this function is by ensuring that the Department has appropriate social work expertise. The Department secures this expertise by seconding a social worker from Tusla, the Child and Family Agency.
This seconded social worker brings their expert insights to the work of the Department, particularly in the area of child welfare and protection. The model of seconding social work expertise means that the social worker always has recent “on the ground” experience of social work, which is invaluable for supporting the work of the Department.
The Department is currently recruiting a social work specialist to assist with and advise on social work matters across the Department. This social worker will be located within the Child Protection Operations and Performance Unit in the Department. Consideration is being given to the secondment of an additional Social Worker later in the year.
Concerning the reform initiatives currently being implemented by Tusla, Tusla is operating in an EU context where increasing integration of child protection systems is identified as a key goal. Part of this evolution is the growing use of multidisciplinary teams and professions which recognises the knowledge and skills a wide range of professions can contribute to different response pathways. Like other European agencies, Tusla is experiencing significant difficulties in recruiting social work practitioners and a number of Tusla areas currently have a significant number of social work vacancies.
Tusla wants to ensure that all professions operate within the full scope of their practice and are supported to develop and enhance their scope of competence over time through continued professional development. Social workers and social care leader/workers are highly trained professionals, and Tusla wants to ensure that the work assigned to them utilises to the full their scope of competence and is always supported by effective supervision and oversight by a competent manager.
Tusla have developed a draft case allocation framework that sets out a consistent and quality assured approach to the allocation of cases, all of which will remain under the governance of social work management. The framework will ensure all professional staff are supported within their scope of competence while continuing to have social work management oversight in their work, ensuring effective case management. This is an initial step to support a nationally consistent and scope of competence-based approach to allocation and will be subject to review and enhancement over time. The framework will ensure all professional staff are supported within their scope of competence while continuing to have social work management oversight in their work ensuring effective case management.
