Omicron projections cause for concern for frontline family services, says Tusla boss 

Tusla CEO Bernard Gloster said: "We will protect and prioritise critical services across Child Protection, Children in Care, and the Domestic, Sexual, Gender Based Violence  response." Picture: Denis Minihane

The head of Tusla has said core services for children and families will continue during the current surge of Covid-19, but admitted to concern over projection for the coming weeks.

The Child and Family Agency has operated as a frontline service throughout the pandemic and Tusla CEO Bernard Gloster said that would remain the case as Omicron cases drive a spike in confirmed cases of the coronavirus.

"As an essential service, we have continued to provide support, and interventions where necessary for vulnerable children and young people around the country during this pandemic, while operating in line with public health guidance," Mr Gloster said.

"For the coming weeks, as the surge of disease in the community continues, we will protect and prioritise critical services across Child Protection, Children in Care, and the Domestic, Sexual, Gender Based Violence response. 

"We will maintain as much normal activity as possible, however, like all organisations we will have to monitor the availability of staff, as the projections give some cause for concern.” 

Those concerns are centred around public health projections on the trajectory of the disease and the potential for staff shortages and challenges to services as a result.

Mandated Reports

The latest monthly report published by Tusla, for October, shows that Mandated Reports regarding Child Protection and Welfare reached their highest point in more than a year.

According to the report, 1,669 mandated reports of abuse were received in October, accounting for 27% of all referrals to Tusla that month.

Of those mandated reports, 653 were for emotional abuse, up on the figure for the previous month, and 486 were for physical abuse, with that category rising sharply since August.

The highest number of such reports in the year-to-date has been from An Garda Síochána (6,197; 44%) followed by teachers (1,846; 13%), social workers (1,814; 13%); social care workers (758; 5%), medical practitioners (607; 4%), safeguarding officers (597; 4%), and managers of domestic violence shelters (431; 3%).

The number of children in private placements has also continued to rise, reaching its highest level since the start of last year, at 798. Of those, 37% were in placements with private providers in residential care.