The Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) has today published an inspection report on the child protection and welfare service operated by the Child and Family Agency (Tusla) in the Donegal service area.

HIQA conducted this monitoring inspection between 8 and 12 September 2025 to assess the progress the service had made to address non-compliances since the previous inspection in May 2024. HIQA assessed the service against five national standards during this inspection and found that the service was compliant with two standards and substantially compliant with three standards.

In 2024, Tusla submitted a national compliance plan to HIQA, which outlined how it would improve services where there were significant numbers of children waiting for a service. Overall, there was good governance and oversight of the Donegal service at all management levels. The service had effectively responded to and addressed the significant governance and oversight concerns identified during the May 2024 inspection. Children received a child protection and welfare service which had consistent and effective leadership, governance and oversight arrangements in place.

There was significant improvement in the quality and safety of the child protection and welfare service to ensure that it met the needs of all children, in line with the National Standards for Child Protection and Welfare (2012) and Children First: National Guidance for Child Protection and Welfare (2017). The service area had taken appropriate action to address the significant risks escalated following the previous inspection. The duty social work system in place at the front door of the service was effective in safeguarding children, oversight by managers was good, and all children on the Child Protection Notification System (CPNS) had an allocated social worker.

Staff working in the service were child centred, worked well together and were committed to keeping children safe. The service continued to be met with challenges in replacing critical roles and did not have a sufficient number of qualified social workers with the required skills and experience. Some children were on a waiting list for a service at the time of the inspection; however, good management of available staff resources did ensure that these children were safeguarded.

Further improvements to the service were required to ensure that all child protection and welfare assessments were commenced and all required notifications to An Garda Síochána were made without delay. Appropriate assurances were provided by the service, and HIQA will continue to monitor the service to support improvements.

Notes:

• HIQA is authorised by the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality under Section 8(1) (c) of the Health Act 2007 to monitor the quality of services provided by the Child and Family Agency (Tusla) to protect children and promote their welfare. HIQA monitors Tusla’s performance against the National Standards for the Protection and Welfare of Children (2012) and advises the Minister and Tusla.
• The Child Protection Notification System (CPNS) refers to a secure database that contains a national record of all children who have reached the threshold of being at ongoing risk of significant harm, and where there are ongoing child protection concerns.
• The front door of the service is where staff respond to initial contacts made by anyone who has a concern about a child.