STAFF shortages, insufficient resources and lack of urgency given to some investigations are threatening the fostering process.
HIQA, the Health Information and Quality Authority published its first overview of inspections foster and children’s residential services and while it showed examples of high quality social work practice, it also revealed the effects of staff shortages in the service.
The report went on to say that the HSE had a “lack of urgency” in dealing with some investigations of allegations made against foster carers while some children were living with unapproved careers.
Earlier this year, the HSE and Children’s Minister Frances Fitzgerald launched an awareness campaign to attract new foster carers in Limerick but the report has now shown a series of shortfalls within the system.
HIQA Director of Regulation Phelim Quinn said that in a number of the areas inspected, there were also insufficient numbers of foster carers, while staff shortages had impacted on the HSE’s capacity to deliver a safe high quality fostering service.
“With over 5,000 children in the care system, there were some instances of foster carers being offered very little training in dealing with vulnerable children with extremely challenging behaviour. Although recruiting more foster carers will mitigate threats to the stability of foster care placements, ongoing needs assessment of children and young people who are at risk of coming into care should inform any recruitment process.”
“18 per cent of child care facilities went unmonitored, as the report indicated that the “HSE did not have sufficient monitoring officers in place in all areas, due to staff vacancies and the moratorium on public sector recruitment.
Overall in the majority of cases, services for children in the 33 residential centres inspected by the Authority in 2012 were safe. HIQA found evidence of dedicated and committed staff, who were appropriately qualified and whose intervention led to many improvements in the lives of children and young people who use the services.
However, the inspectors said that many improvements in the service were still required. The system was found to be under significant pressure and in some instances these pressures was putting children at risk.
“Not all staff had up-to-date Garda Síochána vetting and some had difficulty responding to children’s behaviour, while the relevant requirement on children being absent from the centre without permission was met in only 61 per cent of inspection reports.
According to Phelim Quinn, a national strategy is now required by the HSE National Office for Children and Family Services to support a responsive, flexible, localised service informed by the assessed needs of children and young people.”
