Tusla report: Child protection referrals rise by 9%

The number of child protection and welfare referrals lodged with Tusla last year rose 9% to 47,399, according to the Child and Family Agency’s annual report.

The report shows that 40% of those referrals made last year, totalling 19,087, were child abuse concerns. The remaining 60% (28,312) were welfare concerns.

The overall number of referrals made to Tusla has grown steadily since 2012, but in that time there has been a marked increase in the number of child welfare concerns being lodged.