HSE fails to meet its childcare standard

THE HSE is continuing to use unapproved foster carers for children who have been removed from their homes over child abuse or neglect fears.

According to an internal performance report, 16.5% of children are with carers not approved by a foster care panel — despite statutory obligations to do so.

The HSE’s children and family services have also failed to assess almost one third of the 4,000 children referred to it during the first nine months of this year suspected of suffering abuse and neglect within its own 24-hour timeframe. This is the time during which a preliminary inquiry should be carried out. Crucially, it is on foot of this inquiry that a social worker determines the urgency of a response.

Figures also show:

* Of 4,085 referrals of child abuse, including neglect, made to the end of September, preliminary inquiries were outside the target timeframe in almost one third of cases (32.9%). Referrals generally come from professionals such as GPs and teachers who have a concern about the child’s safety or welfare.

* The HSE South fared poorly, with 47.5% of 1,155 preliminary inquires taking place outside of 24 hours.

In relation to its target of carrying out an initial assessment — which informs the decision to involve child protection services — within 21 days of referral, figures show:

* 27.6% are being carried out within the target time.

* The HSE South fared badly, with a 21-day assessment rate of just 8.3%.

The HSE said time scales might not be met “due to the circumstances specific to an individual case”.

Other significant shortcomings included:

* 16.5% of children are with foster carers not approved by a foster care panel as required by law.

* Reviews of statutory care plans were delayed in more than a quarter of cases.

* Approximately one in 10 children in foster care did not have an allocated social worker.

The HSE said the “great majority” of foster carers had been assessed as legally required but that “normal day to day exigencies of service provision impact on this area of services”.

The HSE also said that where there were “immediate operational difficulties” in assigning a social worker to a foster family, “because of other priority child protection workloads within an area, or staff availability”, social workers were assigned based on a needs assessment. Where a social worker was not assigned for a period, “practice has been to support foster placements through the regular social work duty system”.

However, Ineke Durville, president of the Irish Association of Social Workers, said children in foster or residential care needed an adult they trusted to talk to outside their placement, and that it was a safety requirement for the child.

She said that the HSE’s responsibilities in relation to children in its care were “very well proscribed in law”.