The Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) has today published an inspection report on the Child and Family Agency’s (Tusla’s) foster care service in the Dublin South Central service area.

HIQA conducted an inspection of the Dublin South Central foster care service between 20 and 23 October 2025 to examine the progress made since the previous inspection in 2024. The inspection focused on the allocation of social workers to children in foster care and the care planning process, including the participation of children and their families in the preparation of the child’s care plan and child-in-care reviews. It also assessed how children are protected and safeguarded from abuse and how the governance and management structures support the delivery of a consistent, high quality, safe and effective foster care service. Of the five national standards assessed, HIQA found four standards were substantially compliant and one standard was not compliant. 

Overall, HIQA found that the capacity of the service to provide a quality, safe and effective foster care service had improved since the previous inspection. The number of children without an allocated social worker had reduced and there were no dual unallocated cases. There were also improvements in record keeping.

HIQA found that there were still some children who were not allocated to a social worker, however these children had an allocated worker to coordinate their care.  This meant that children without an allocated social worker still received a service. Care plans and child in care review records reflected the assessment of children’s care needs and were updated in line with statutory requirements for most children. However, further improvement was required to ensure that placement plans were updated.

Most child welfare and protection concerns were managed in line with Children First (2017) and Tusla policies and procedures, but inspectors found some gaps in managing these concerns. Furthermore, there were gaps in the oversight of the management of allegations against foster carers. There were also delays in a number of An Garda Síochána notifications. Children in foster care who required a safety plan had one in place, and these were monitored appropriately.

While the service had up-to-date policies, procedures and guidance documents in place, some policies and procedures were not fully implemented or local practice meant that the service did not always fully comply with statutory regulations and national standards. The oversight and management of the service needed strengthening to ensure children received a service in line with national standards, and all children in need of foster placements had access to one. Case management oversight needed improvement, as did the system of monitoring allegations made against foster carers.

Following the inspection, HIQA escalated two individual cases to the area’s management and sought assurances in respect to case management oversight, and the tracking and monitoring of allegations made against foster carers. The areas management provided satisfactory assurances to HIQA in respect of these escalations after the inspection.

Note:

• HIQA is authorised by the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality under Section 69 of the Child Care Act, 1991 as amended by Section 26 of the Child Care (Amendment) Act 2011 to inspect foster care services provided by Tusla and to report on its findings to the Minister. HIQA monitors the performance of Tusla against the National Standards for Foster Care (2003) and advises the Minister and Tusla.
• Dual unallocated cases refer to foster care households where both the foster carer and the child in placement with them do not have an allocated social worker.