Social workers raise concerns over state commitments to bolster services

SOCIAL workers have raised serious concerns over commitments given by the Government to bolster services following the publication of the Ryan report.

Minister for Children Barry Andrews last month pledged to deploy additional social workers and appoint a senior manager with sole responsibility for children and family services.

But the Irish Association of Social Workers (IASW) said social workers were concerned that the filling of 270 social work posts may not mean the creation of additional social work posts, and raised questions about the real time implications of such commitments.

Spokesman for the IASW, Declan Coogan, welcomed the Government’s proposals, which include independent inspection of facilities that accommodate children and a study to track children who have left care into adulthood. But, he said, there were “serious questions” to be asked about the commitments given, and how they would work out in detail.

“We are not sure what this figure of 270 workers means. Will there be new posts or is it simply filling the ones which are already vacant?

“Although there had been previous commitments given that social work posts were exempt from the public service embargo, some social work managers have reported difficulties in advertising and filling vacant social work posts. There are also problems in extending the posts of social workers in temporary contracts and in filling posts that have already been vacant before this week’s announcement.

“Social workers would also seek the provision of essential additional resources such as crèches, community childcare services, family support workers and outreach workers,” he said.

Another question being raised by social workers, he said, was: when would a senior manager, as specified in Mr Andrews’s plan, within the Health Service Executive with responsibility for children and family services, be appointed?

Mr Coogan said there was concern this senior manager role would focus on child protection issues only.

“This would be a retrograde step if the provision of services for children in need do not take into account the need for family intervention and support services that can be provided by social workers,” he said.

“We welcome the role – there is a need for someone in management level but the focus has to be on family and child support to prevent abuse. It must not just be about a crisis service.”

It was important the new manager engaged with social workers and service users to hear suggestions for the development and implementation of child and family social work services, he said.

Another recommendation following the Ryan report, which exposed systemic abuse in care homes for children, will allow for two out-of-hours emergency social services to be piloted.

Mr Coogan said social workers wanted to see the results of a pilot, a timetable, and data to analyse before it is rolled out nationally.