`Potentially explosive' situation in child services

Dangerous working conditions, an ad-hoc approach to decision-making, cynicism and frustration among staff and "potentially explosive situations" are highlighted in an internal report into childcare services of the Eastern Regional Health Authority.

The report, Practice Matters, A Report for the Child Care and Family Support Services Programme, was obtained by The Irish Times under the Freedom Of Information legislation, and comes against the backdrop of ongoing crises in the childcare services and repeated calls for a thorough restructuring of children's services. The report's author, Mr David McKendrick - a social work consultant based in Scotland - was commissioned last year by the former Eastern Health Board "to consult and work with social work managers and team leaders on a number of identified issues".

Throughout the report, reference is made to a lack of communication between staff and management and a lack of clarity as to who is responsible for various areas. "Where there is also a lack of certainty as to the role and function of key members of management, or where reporting lines are unclear, it is hardly surprising if staff feel confused and concerned," the author says.

On safety matters he finds: "Social workers and childcare staff work in increasingly dangerous situations, and while something can be done in learning to defuse situations, employers would do well to recognise the reality of the situation."

The workload of social workers and in particular duty social workers - those social workers to whom all new cases are referred on a given shift - is "excessive", says the report. "In some teams there are 70 or 80 such cases which are, in the main, passed to the duty social workers who are expected to deal with new referrals and also to service any emergency occurring in this unallocated list."

Such heavy caseloads mean a "lack of contact and therefore lack of knowledge" about a child's circumstances. This, he says, "creates difficulties for the children, anxiety and stress for workers and potentially explosive situations for the board".

It should be basic professional practice, Mr McKendrick says, "for each child in care to have a named social worker rather than have any concerns dealt with by a succession of duty social workers".

On management, he draws particular attention to "the vacancy situation among community care area team leaders and head social workers." This, he points out, means fewer senior childcare workers are being adequately supervised. The report describes a sense among staff "that they have no clear superior to refer to".

"Obtaining placements for children being relieved into care" is found to be the greatest demand on social workers' time. "Consideration should be given to developing models of home care as alternatives to receiving children into care. . .by which residential provision might be reduced and resources transferred into further initiatives for supporting families."

Describing working conditions and security as "poor", the report says " it is unacceptable to have confidential files left overnight on floors, desks and tables behind the flimsiest of locked doors."

A spokeswomen for the ERHA said the issues raised in the report "had either already been addressed. . .or [the recommendations] were in the process of being implemented".

However, Ms Monica Egan, president of the Irish Association of Social Workers, said that "overall very little has changed since the report was written last year". While welcoming the efforts being made to recruit new social workers, she said many experienced social workers were leaving childcare.

"Vacancies are therefore being filled by social workers who do not have the same experience, some indeed straight from college." They needed supervision and support, and that "is not provided".

Social workers are paid between £19,921 and £26,731 a year, while qualified childcare workers earn between £17,267 and £23,129.