Children’s services publication statement 21 June 2018

Date of publication:

The Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) has today published an inspection report on foster care services operated by the Child and Family Agency (Tusla) in the Wexford Waterford service area.

HIQA is authorised by the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs 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, to report on its findings to the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs and to inspect services taking care of a child on behalf of Tusla, including non-statutory providers of foster care. HIQA monitors foster care services against the 2003 National Standards for Foster Care.

As part of the 2017/2018 monitoring programme, HIQA is conducting thematic inspections across all 17 Tusla service areas focusing on the recruitment, assessment, approval, supervision and review of foster carers. These thematic inspections are announced and cover eight standards relating to this theme.

The inspection found that, in the Waterford Wexford service area, the system of recording and tracking complaints, allegations and concerns was not robust. Not all allegations and concerns were correctly classified or identified by the foster care service as such. Two allegations were not managed and investigated in line with Children First or in line with the interim national policy and procedure for responding to allegations of child abuse and neglect against foster carers. One of these allegations was not categorised in any complaints or allegation log. Records reflected that actions were taken to assess the allegation; however, the foster carers were not informed of the allegation and a notice of the allegation was not completed and sent to the appropriate stakeholders.

Systems to ensure timely applications and receipt of updated An Garda Síochána (police) vetting for foster carers were not efficient. There were a number of young adults in foster care households that had not been Garda vetted, and Garda vetting was not updated for all foster carers within the required timeframe.

Assessments of prospective foster carers were comprehensive. Assessment reports were of good quality and contained good analysis of information gathered to inform recommendations. However, there were delays in the completion of assessments for both relative and general foster carers. There were five relative foster carers who were un-assessed and with children placed at the time of this inspection. There were delays in the allocation of link social workers to these families of between three to six months.

There was some good practice in relation to the support and supervision provided to foster carers. All foster carers with whom children were placed had an allocated link social worker. However, the frequency of support and supervision visits to foster carers was not always occurring in line with Tusla policy. The majority of foster carers had received a visit from their link social worker in the six months prior to this inspection.

There were good initiatives in the area in relation to training for foster carers. However, improvements were required in relation to the recording of training provided to foster carers. There was no central system to co-ordinate, track, monitor and audit training provided to foster carers in the area and the training records on foster carers’ files were poor.

Reviews of foster carers were not always carried out in line with regulations and standards. A number of foster carers did not have up-to-date reviews. Seventy nine foster care households had not had a review for more than three years.

Two foster care committees were in operation in the area. Both committees comprised of a range of experienced members who made clear decisions and carried out its work effectively. However, both committees were not fully compliant with the standards and national policy, procedures and best practice guidance.

The service area has provided an action plan response, with implementation timelines, to address the non-compliances identified on inspection.