ONE IN five children in care does not have an allocated social worker, according to a damning new report.
A review of the adequacy of services for children and families across the State also shows the situation in relation to the percentage of children being left without social workers is deteriorating.
While some 87.3 per cent of children in care in 2007 had an allocated social worker, this dropped back to 80 per cent by the end of 2008. All children in care, under current childcare regulations, should have an allocated social worker. Some 5,347 children were in care at the end of last year.
The main reasons children were admitted to care last year were because parents were unable to cope, child neglect, family members were abusing drugs/alcohol, the child had behavioural problems or there was physical abuse.
The report, compiled by the Health Service Executive (HSE), also indicates many children in care do not have a written care plan, again a breach of the regulations. Overall, just 66 per cent of children in care currently have a written care plan, the report says.
Furthermore, while the HSE is obliged to inspect all pre-school facilities once a year, the report points out that just over half of these facilities were inspected last year. And the number of pre-school advisory visits undertaken by the HSE was down 29 per cent.
The Review of Adequacy of Services for Children and Families, 2008, just published, shows huge discrepancies between the allocation of social workers to different areas. While Galway has a child population of 55,000, it has an approved social worker staff ceiling of 29 compared to Sligo/Leitrim which has an approved staff ceiling of 38 for a population of 22,000 children. Dublin North, in contrast, is approved for 36 social workers for a child population of over 55,000.
In terms of child protection, the report says the number of confirmed cases of child abuse rose by 9.4 per cent last year to 2,164.
It also says more than 24,600 reports of child abuse, neglect and welfare issues were received by social work departments last year, up from 23,200 reports the year before. All reports are screened by childcare professionals/social workers and prioritised.
“In some local areas waiting lists of cases are maintained,” it adds.
The report also reveals that 22 unaccompanied minors went missing from HSE care last year.
“Approximately 7 per cent of unaccompanied minors dealt with by the HSE have gone missing since 2000. The numbers going missing have . . . been steadily falling, with much less than half the number going missing in 2008 (22) than in 2004 (66),” it says.
Furthermore the report says 234 children appeared to be homeless last year.
Aidan Waterstone, national specialist with the HSE children and family services, said the reason fewer children in care had an allocated social worker in 2008 could be to do with social workers going on maternity leave and not being replaced. He added the HSE was working to ensure greater regional equity of social workers.