State is still failing children in care

THE Irish Association of Social Workers is concerned that the state is failing to meet its legal obligations towards children in care.

Social workers in foster care are reporting that a growing number of children in care in Ireland do not currently have a designated social worker to take care of their needs and best interests.

Latest estimates are that one-sixth of the children in care do not have an allocated social worker assigned to them. We are very concerned about this as many of the legal safeguards put in place to ensure the care and protection of children in foster care and residential childcare cannot be fully exercised in the absence of an allocated social worker for each child in care.

Following publication of the McCarthy report, it is our view that in the context of current economic difficulties, the state and the HSE must prioritise the provision of essential services for children in care who are already vulnerable. Social workers are very much aware that if Irish society is to learn anything from the Ryan report into institutional child abuse it is that the legal safeguards and best practices that have been developed for the care and protection of children in need must be maintained.

Declan Coogan

Communications Co-ordinator

Irish Association of Social Workers

Pearse Street

Dublin 2