HEALTH AUTHORITIES have been accused of blocking the appointment of social workers to vacant posts, despite the official stance that child protection services are exempt from the recruitment embargo.
In recent weeks, social workers who have been due to move to new positions or fill vacant posts say they have received letters from the Health Service Executive stating that their posts cannot now be filled until further notice.
The letters have come to light at a time when health authorities and the Government insist they are recruiting an extra 200 social workers to help strengthen child protection services.
However, in a statement last night a HSE spokesman insisted that social workers were exempt from the recruitment moratorium.
“There are absolutely no restrictions in replacing social workers, either short term or long term, within the HSE.”
Following a Government decision last year, social services are one of the few areas of the health services where the recruitment embargo has been lifted.
But the Irish Association of Social Workers yesterday said they have numerous examples of members being told by management that the blocking of posts represents a “freeze” on the filling of vacant posts rather than a moratorium on recruitment.
“This is stopping all movement in the sector. It’s making things difficult for staff but, more importantly, it makes things difficult for clients because there is more uncertainty about when posts will be filled,” said the association’s spokeswoman, Ineke Durville.
She said the recruitment of additional social workers would ultimately help improve services, but still left staffing levels in child protection services well behind their UK counterparts.
In a statement, the HSE said significant additional resources are being targeted at child and family services this year, despite the pressure on public finances. An additional 200 social workers were recruited last year, in addition to the back-filling of 249 social work posts during the year. A further 60 additional social workers are being recruited in 2011.
These extra resources were made available following the recommendations of the Ryan report into clerical abuse of children.
In addition, the HSE says it has begun a three-year change programme to reform services, promote more effective shared practice and address the major culture change required in planning and delivering services to children and families.
