Written Answers. - Parliamentary Debates - Houses of the Oireachtas

[Deputy Frances Fitzgerald.]
Questions— 14 February 2012. Written Answers
make judgments about current risk to a particular child and/or the potential future risk to other
children. By evaluating and recording their experiences with the child and the family, the
professional is in a very strong position to intervene in an appropriate and agreed manner.
Early intervention and family support are undoubtedly the best means of keeping a child
safe in its home environment. I should also say that by getting to know a family over a period
of time and with the input of other medical and professional colleagues, social workers are
probably best placed to monitor developments or and to deal with concerns should they occur.
This requires appropriate training, support and supervision for staff working at the coalface.
Social workers do unfortunately need to continue to develop skills in dealing with families who
do not wish to engage, who are threatening and violent towards staff, and who may try to be
elusive in relation to the standard of care they are providing.
The lessons that continue to be learned from the child welfare and protection system have
led to significant changes to how services are being delivered. These include the decision to
establish a dedicated agency; publication and roll out of the revised Children First Guidance
and the accompanying HSE Handbook; the appointment of a National Director for Children
and Family Services in the HSE; the work done in standardising business processes across the
HSE Children and Families Service; the commitment to develop improved information systems
and a child protection register. They have also contributed to an increase in the child protection
social work cohort and in staff development.
614. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the
degree to which adequate support services are available to provide the necessary follow up and
support in cases in which child sexual or physical abuse is identified or suspected; the length
of time within which it can be reasonably expected that supportive measures are taken in
individual cases; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8390/12]
Minister for Children and Youth Affairs (Deputy Frances Fitzgerald): As this is a service
matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy with the
most up-to-date information.
Child Support Services
615. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the
extent, if any, to which she has been in a position to identify the most important or needy areas
for investment in terms of personnel or facilities in the child support services; and if she will
make a statement on the matter. [8391/12]
Minister for Children and Youth Affairs (Deputy Frances Fitzgerald): My Department publishes
a biennial State of the Nation’s Children report which benchmarks progress on services
and supports as well as children’s outcomes. My Department has also recently published a
National Research and Data Strategy which sets out a strategic direction and comprehensive
action plan for research and data on children’s lives in Ireland for the next five years. One of
the five objectives is to improve monitoring and evaluation of children’s services in Ireland at
local and national level and the actions carried under this objective, particularly those relating
to improving administrative systems, will be used to ensure good quality information is available
to inform my Department about key areas for investment.
My Department also manages the National Children’s Research Programme. As part of this
Programme, more than sixty research studies on children’s lives have been funded. Among
these are studies of children at risk including children on remand, youth homelessness, children
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