HSE Audit: Risk of identification due to lack of safeguards in foster payments

An audit has found that children in foster care could possibly be identified because of “insufficient safeguards” in the overall payment process.

The audit into foster care payments completed for Tusla by HSE South East last June found a range of issues, including overpayments, data protection concerns, and that the Child in Care register for the local Tusla service area office was maintained on a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet.

This was because of the absence of a bespoke, dedicated computerised system and, according to the audit, “did not adequately comply with the statutory requirements”.