Tusla blames rise in separated children for surge in demand for out-of-hours service

There were 943 children placed with the service last year, a 35% increase, and 7,577 nights of accommodation provided, a 38% increase on figures for 2021. 

Tusla has said a huge increase in the number of children placed with its national-out-of-hours service (NOHS) last year is "in large part" attributable to the rise in the number of separated children seeking International Protection.

New figures show there was a 56% rise in referrals to the service last year, which typically involves the use of emergency foster carers, extended family members or emergency residential placements if available. It can sometimes require young people to stay in hotels or other temporary accommodation.

According to the latest Tusla quarterly report, there were 4,245 referrals to the national out-of-hours service last year — 1,527 more than in 2021.

There were 943 children placed with the service last year, a 35% increase, and 7,577 nights of accommodation provided, a 38% increase on figures for 2021. 

The report shows the numbers of referrals, children referred and accommodation nights peaked in the second quarter of last year, before falling in the third quarter and then rising again towards the end of 2022.

Last year, a separate report from Tusla showed more than 100 vulnerable young people in need of an emergency placement had to be accommodated in hotels in 2021 — including two children under the age of four — because of a lack of capacity within Tusla's national out-of-hours service.

Tusla's Strategic Plan for Residential Care Services for Children and Young People 2022-2025, published last year, recommended increasing the number of residential care beds.

However, the figures in the latest quarterly report show there is now even greater pressure on the out-of-hours service.

The spokesperson said a specific breakdown of the context behind referrals made to the NOHS was not collated nationally but added: "However, anecdotally, the increase in referrals to the NOHS can in large part be attributed to the significant increase of separated children seeking International Protection, and a range of other factors including the complexity of presenting cases, and the continued development and expansion of the service."

As to whether some of those emergency placements may require hotels or similar accommodation, the spokesperson said: "Typically, placements arranged by the NOHS are with emergency foster carers, extended family members or, if available, emergency residential placements. 

"On occasion, in order to meet a young person’s needs, an alternative arrangement may be required in which a young person will be placed in alternative accommodation with support staff.

"The length of time that a child or young person might avail of a NOHS placement or resources varies. While some children might require a placement for one night, others may require a placement for a longer period to allow social workers to carry out an assessment of their circumstances and to ensure that the child or young person’s needs are being met."

Tusla said the increased number of referrals to the service had also stretched its budget.

"With increases in both referrals and numbers of children supported in placements by the NOHS, there is inevitably a corresponding increase in costs," the spokesperson said. 

"In 2022, this was managed within the existing Tusla budget. However, for 2023, additional budget has been secured specifically relating to the Ukrainian crisis, with additional provision for children coming into the care of Tusla requiring both emergency and longer-term foster care or residential placements.”