Posted by Robert Troy TD
Fianna Fáil Spokesperson on Children Robert Troy has called on the Children’s Minister Frances Fitzgerald to commit to providing the necessary resources for the full implementation of new child protection standards.
Deputy Troy has warmly welcomed the standards published by HIQA today, but has raised concerns that the current under-resourced social worker system may not be equipped to fully implement them.
“These new standards are a very welcome step towards enhancing child welfare, and the Government will have the full support of my party in implementing them. However, if the standards are to achieve their aim of reaching children at risk who are currently falling through the cracks of the system, and responding to institutional abuse quickly and thoroughly, then they must be backed up by the necessary resources.
“There are still gaping holes in our social worker system and front-line social workers are stretched to their limit. We have less social workers in place now than last year. Minister Fitzgerald has promised that front-line social worker posts are exempt from the public service recruitment embargo, but a leaked internal HSE memo identifies mental health workers and primary care workers as the only HSE staff exempt from the embargo. There is no mention of social and family services.
“I am calling on Minister Fitzgerald to commit to a strict timeline for the filling of social worker posts. The new child protection standards spell out a real opportunity for meaningful improvements in child protection in Ireland, but they will only work if they are backed up by the necessary resources.”
Deputy Troy has warmly welcomed the standards published by HIQA today, but has raised concerns that the current under-resourced social worker system may not be equipped to fully implement them.
“These new standards are a very welcome step towards enhancing child welfare, and the Government will have the full support of my party in implementing them. However, if the standards are to achieve their aim of reaching children at risk who are currently falling through the cracks of the system, and responding to institutional abuse quickly and thoroughly, then they must be backed up by the necessary resources.
“There are still gaping holes in our social worker system and front-line social workers are stretched to their limit. We have less social workers in place now than last year. Minister Fitzgerald has promised that front-line social worker posts are exempt from the public service recruitment embargo, but a leaked internal HSE memo identifies mental health workers and primary care workers as the only HSE staff exempt from the embargo. There is no mention of social and family services.
“I am calling on Minister Fitzgerald to commit to a strict timeline for the filling of social worker posts. The new child protection standards spell out a real opportunity for meaningful improvements in child protection in Ireland, but they will only work if they are backed up by the necessary resources.”
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