More foster carers have quit system than been recruited

Between 2017 and the end of June 2022, Tusla has approved 1397 foster carers. However, in that time, 1,500 Tusla carers have stopped fostering.

Tusla, the child and family agency, has lost more foster carers than it has been able to hire in the past five years, a report has revealed.

Tusla's recently published strategy plan for foster care services, covering the next three years, makes four core recommendations, including increased recruitment and retention of foster carers.

According to the report, between 2017 and the end of June this year, Tusla approved 1,397 foster carers, of which 245 (18%) were private providers, with the remaining 1,152 (82%) Tusla foster carers both general and relative foster carers.

But over the same period, a total of 1,500 Tusla foster carers ceased fostering, 92% voluntarily.

"This means that more foster carers are ceasing than being approved," it said, although the report added that the difference between those leaving and those being recruited has been narrowing in recent years.

The report also notes the foster care allowance had remained unchanged since 2009, while enhanced and additional allowances paid out to foster carers have risen consistently, from €2.4m in 2019 to €2.6m in 200 and €3.1m last year.

Increased workload

Tusla's workload generally has increased, with the agency having received 40,553 referrals for the first six months of this year, up 16% compared with the same period last year.

But with 89% of children in care in foster care, the new strategy wants to ensure 90% are in foster care by 2025, arresting trends that have seen the number of children in general and relative foster care falling, alongside a rise in the number of private foster care arrangements.

Writing in the report, Kate Duggan, Tusla's national director of service and integration, said: "The number of foster carers available to care for children/young people is reducing, and the geographical footprint of available foster carers has narrowed. 

"This has resulted in challenges placing children and young people in a stable foster care placement, that is close to their local community, in which their cultural needs are met, and an increase in the use of private fostering services.

"The evidence shows that to better respond to the needs of these children and young people, we must increase our recruitment and retention of foster carers and staff that work in our services."

The new Tusla plan was developed through a process of internal and external consultation involving 500 stakeholders, with foster carers raising a number of issues.

They included a lack of clarity in relation to their role, with some describing it as secondary to that of the social workers involved in the case, as well as a need to increase the foster care allowance, and concerns in relation to pension entitlements.

Many also wanted ongoing financial support after a fostered child turns 18.

Recommendations include:

• Strengthening the recruitment and retention of foster carers, including piloting the introduction of a regional outreach team to support to families/foster carers when placements are at risk of breakdown;
• More support to birth parents of children and young people in care;
• Changes to organisational structures to support Tusla staff; 
• Implementing a consistent model of practice around the country, including assessing a tiered fostering service where experienced foster carers could support others with more vulnerable placements.

The new report was referenced by Tusla chief executive Bernard Gloster when he recently appeared before the Oireachtas.