The Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) has today published two inspection reports on foster care services. The reports refer to the Dublin South Central foster care service operated by the Child and Family Agency (Tusla) and the Care Visions non-statutory fostering service.

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 the Child and Family Agency and 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 the Child and Family Agency, including non-statutory providers of foster care. HIQA monitors foster care services against the National Standards for Foster Care, published by the Department of Health and Children in 2003.

In relation to Tusla’s Dublin South Central foster care service, significant risks were found across a range of areas. While all children had an allocated social worker, safeguarding measures such as the vetting of carers and other adults who lived with or had unsupervised access to children were not consistently undertaken. Moreover, there was no system in place to ensure all staff were vetted in line with Children First (2011) and Tusla’s own recruitment policy. Social workers also told inspectors that there was confusion and uncertainty amongst the team on how to manage welfare concerns and allegations.

Among the serious risks that were identified at this service were long delays in the commencement and completion of relative foster carer assessments and in achieving a decision from the foster care committee. In addition, inspectors found that regular reviews of foster carers to assess their continuing capacity to provide high quality care to the children placed with them were not occurring. It was also found that the management of the service was crisis led rather than delivered in a planned manner.

In relation to the Care Visions fostering service, children were cared for in safe and appropriate homes and had their physical and emotional needs met. However, management and monitoring systems required significant improvement to ensure safe services were provided. Furthermore, the service told HIQA there had been no child protection concerns in the previous two years; however, on review of files, inspectors found four concerns of a child protection nature detailed in significant event notifications. In these cases, child protection reports were not made to the relevant social work department.

All of the services have provided action plan responses to address the non-compliances identified on inspection and timelines for implementing these actions. Inspection reports and action plans can be found at www.hiqa.ie.

The Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) has today published two inspection reports on foster care services. The reports refer to the Dublin South Central foster care service operated by the Child and Family Agency (Tusla) and the Care Visions non-statutory fostering service.

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 the Child and Family Agency and 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 the Child and Family Agency, including non-statutory providers of foster care. HIQA monitors foster care services against the National Standards for Foster Care, published by the Department of Health and Children in 2003.

In relation to Tusla’s Dublin South Central foster care service, significant risks were found across a range of areas. While all children had an allocated social worker, safeguarding measures such as the vetting of carers and other adults who lived with or had unsupervised access to children were not consistently undertaken. Moreover, there was no system in place to ensure all staff were vetted in line with Children First (2011) and Tusla’s own recruitment policy. Social workers also told inspectors that there was confusion and uncertainty amongst the team on how to manage welfare concerns and allegations.

Among the serious risks that were identified at this service were long delays in the commencement and completion of relative foster carer assessments and in achieving a decision from the foster care committee. In addition, inspectors found that regular reviews of foster carers to assess their continuing capacity to provide high quality care to the children placed with them were not occurring. It was also found that the management of the service was crisis led rather than delivered in a planned manner.

In relation to the Care Visions fostering service, children were cared for in safe and appropriate homes and had their physical and emotional needs met. However, management and monitoring systems required significant improvement to ensure safe services were provided. Furthermore, the service told HIQA there had been no child protection concerns in the previous two years; however, on review of files, inspectors found four concerns of a child protection nature detailed in significant event notifications. In these cases, child protection reports were not made to the relevant social work department.

All of the services have provided action plan responses to address the non-compliances identified on inspection and timelines for implementing these actions.