Pledge to address severe failings in foster care

Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, has pledged to address shortcomings in foster care services in two locations following critical inspection reports by health watchdog Hiqa.

The inspection reports issued by the Health Information and Quality Authority into foster care services in Dublin North and Sligo/Leitrim/West Cavan found a number of areas of major non-compliance.

In Dublin North, 82% of foster carers had not had a review in more than three years, Garda vetting of foster carers had not been updated in some cases, there was inadequate arrangements to ensure that safeguarding visits to unallocated foster carers had taken place, and significant delays were found in approving relative carers who had children placed with them for a considerable period of time.