Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 14 May 2026
477. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether Tusla currently maintains the technical capability within its information systems to distinguish between re-referrals, formally reopened social work cases, repeat safeguarding episodes, and repeat entries into State care; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36037/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra478. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether the absence of a distinct national dataset relating to formally reopened social work cases has been identified internally by her Department or Tusla as a governance, safeguarding, or performance-monitoring limitation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36038/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra484. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether her Department has sought legal or policy advice regarding whether reopened child protection cases should form part of a national safeguarding and outcomes dataset. [36075/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 477, 478 and 484 together.
As set out in legislation (Child and Family Agency Act, 2013), Tusla is independent in the performance of its functions, including management of Child Protection and Welfare cases. This includes the decision to reopen a case. Oversight, governance and implementation of internal case management systems and data sets are a matter for Tusla.
Tusla’s Case Management System (TCM), launched in 2021, provides a single, integrated case management system that, over time, will be implemented across all Tusla services. TCM provides a single view of each child, young person, family, care provider, and others who are engaged with Tusla.
The vision for this system is to support all Tusla functions to work in an efficient and joined-up way in the delivering of services. TCM is currently being used by a number of services across Tusla, and will continue to be extended to become the single integrated case management system across all Agency services providing:
• Joined-up digital systems and data for joined up services. TCM will provide a single integrated case management across all Tusla services.
• A single view of the child, family and their connections across all services and all engagements with Tusla.
• Excellence in record keeping. TCM will continue to be designed for comprehensive and ease of record-keeping supporting the full information life cycle of our case files.
• Data privacy by design. Data protection considerations will continue to permeate all aspects of TCM.
• Ease of use. TCM was designed by practitioners for practitioners as an intuitive system to use. It included capabilities like dashboards, wizards, templates and auto complete to support users in finding and entering data.
This case management system provides a single view of each child, young person, family, care provider, and others who are engaged with Tusla. It is providing a single view of the child, family and their connections across all services and all engagements with Tusla. Tusla is improving its case management system. The system will continue to be designed for comprehensive and ease of record-keeping supporting the full information life cycle of Tusla case files.
In effect, Tusla is building an integrated data environment centred around Case Management that will enable the Agency to deliver improved integrated reporting by the end of the Tusla Data Management and Digital Transformation Strategy 2024-2026. This strategy was reviewed by the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer and is aligned with the overall public sector data strategy. Key to this is the creation of a single record for each child and young person which supports integrated working including more streamlined referral and allocation system for residential care, improved communications, accurate data to improve decision making on an individual level and resource allocation.
Tusla has simplified its standard business processes to reduce inefficiencies and maximise time with children and families facilitating more focus on direct contact and relationship building.
The Department meets regularly with Tusla, to discuss performance metrics, and will explore what work is possible, or is underway in this space with Tusla.
