Almost 1,800 welfare referrals from Donegal to Tusla during pandemic

ALMOST 1,800 child abuse or welfare referrals from Donegal were made to Tusla in 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic, we can reveal.

Figures obtained by the Donegal News from the Child and Family Agency show the total number of referrals (child abuse/welfare) for Donegal in 2020 was 1,772. Just 629 cases were open to social work at the end of 2020.

On the back of recent controversies surrounding children that have come to the attention Tusla, the agency announced it is carrying out a well-being check around 42,000 children whose cases were closed during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The overall cost for the well-being check will cost between €2.5 and €3 million.

In a statement, a Tusla spokesperson said it is “working closely with the Department of Children, Disability and Equality to determine the scope, process and required resources to conduct wellness checks on cases closed during Covid-19 period that Minister Foley directed”.

The provisional number of children encompassed by this review is currently 42, 552.

“This figure is inclusive of any case that was open to Tusla’s Child Protection Services, and their case was closed during the period (01/03/20 -28/02/22). It is important to note, however, that the incidence of child protection and welfare concerns among that cohort would likely be in the minority, given known referral trends. An independent, external chairperson has been appointed to oversee the work of this review.

“The total number of referrals (child abuse/welfare) for Donegal in 2020 was 1,772, and at the end of 2020, there were 629 cases open to social work. There were 220 children in care in Donegal.”

The statement added: “Tusla ensures all our resources are used to make sure any child at immediate risk receives an immediate protective response, and where the demand for our services is greater than resources available at particular time, cases are responded to on a risk-based approach.”

In September, we reported how morale among social workers in Donegal is being decimated as they struggle with growing pressure and mounting caseloads.

Some social workers have left their roles with Tusla to work with the HSE or in the private sector, with one even considering leaving their high-pressure job to work in a local supermarket.

The situation has been highlighted by the Fórsa trade union in response to an internal review of Tusla in Donegal, which revealed delays in assessing reports of abuse, neglect, or mistreatment of children due to “intractable staffing problems” and “burnout.”

The review, completed in November 2023, was revealed to The Irish Times through the Freedom of Information Act.

A spokesperson for Tusla confirmed to the Donegal News that since the internal review, a number of measures have been taken to address these challenges, including restructuring the service and introducing initiatives to reduce the number of unallocated cases.