Children’s Social Services Standards
- National Standards for Children's Residential Centres
- National Standards for Special Care Units
- National Standards for the Protection and Welfare of Children
- National Standards for Foster Care - Department of Health and Children
Disability Standards
Community Services Standards
Overarching Standards
- Read our guide to show children and young people what they can expect when they are living in a children’s residential centre.
- Watch our videos with people involved in the development of the National Standards for Children's Residential Centres, on the importance of these standards to children living in residential centres.
We have developed National Guidance for the Responsible and Safe Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Health and Social Care Services. HIQA worked closely with the Department of Health and the Health Service Executive to develop the national guidance and it was informed by an evidence review and engagement with a range of stakeholders including professionals working within services.
The purpose of the guidance is to support services and staff by promoting awareness and good practice about the responsible and safe use of AI in health and social care settings.
The guidance provides practical information on topics like governance, transparency, human oversight and public engagement to help minimise potential risks and to promote the positive use of AI to enhance the delivery of care.
We have developed national guidance on good communication in health and social care. Good communication is a key focus of national standards, and this guidance helps health and social care staff to put national standards into practice. It will help staff think about how to communicate more clearly with:
- adults, children and young people using services
- their families, friends and caregivers.
Communicating clearly ensures that everyone has the information they need to make informed decisions about their health and social care.
Read our National guidance on good communication in health and social care: using plain language.
- View the communication toolkit, ‘Fundamentals of good communication: How to have effective everyday conversations’, which aims to support Tusla staff to communicate effectively with children, families and foster carers when they are using children’s social services.
- View the Questions to help with everyday communication tool which is designed to prompt Tusla staff to stop and think before, during and after they communicate with children, families or foster carers. This tool aims to reinforce the fundamentals of good communication.
- View the framework and full guide here.
Online learning course - How to improve data quality for health and social care services. The course aims to improve knowledge and skills in the area of data quality in health and social care services and organisations and builds on HIQA’s guidance on developing a data quality framework.
- Take the online learning course on HSeLanD here.
- Alternatively you can take the course on our website without a certificate of completion. The course is comprised of two modules:
Online learning course on National Standards for infection prevention and control in community services: Putting the standards into practice
- take the online learning course on HSeLanD here
- alternatively you can take the course on our website without a certificate of completion
We have developed a practical guide to support staff in health, mental health and social care services to understand what national standards are, what they mean for their service and how to put them into practice.
The guide was developed in partnership with the Mental Health Commission and was informed by a range of stakeholders with experience of delivering and using health, mental health and social care services.
The guide outlines a self-appraisal process to support services to put national standards into practice and improve quality and safety. It includes topics for reflection, tools, templates and resources throughout.