No social workers for 3,000 at-risk children

Around 3,000 children known to be in serious danger of neglect, physical abuse or sexual abuse have no dedicated social worker, it has emerged.

The figure has remained relatively constant since it was first highlighted more than six months ago by children’s rights activist and senator, Jillian van Turnhout.

At yesterday’s meeting of the Joint Oireachtas committee on health and children, Ms van Turnhout asked if there was not some concern that children’s needs were not being addressed. She said the overall number of social workers employed by Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, had increased by just 30 in the past year at a time when the number of referrals rose by 20%.