Children’s Rights Alliance calling for €50 million more funding for child protection services

The organisation’s announcement comes ahead of a public event on Tuesday, June 24, at which the Minister for Children Norma Foley will deliver a special address and Kate Duggan, CEO of Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, will speak to current challenges the agency is facing to meet demand.

Tanya Ward, Chief Executive of the Children’s Rights Alliance said: "Since 2019, referrals to Tusla have increased by 70pc. They have doubled in the last ten years.

"The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and the sudden withdrawal of services is increasingly evident in the complexity of cases and challenging circumstances reported by services on the frontline.

"Last year’s budget allocation was largely to provide for existing levels of service. However, existing levels of service cannot meet the demand and need that exist.”

Ms Ward highlighted “persistent staffing issues and an acute lack of appropriate residential and foster care placements”.

The organisation’s call out follows reports earlier this month that approximately 30 children in Tusla's Separated Children Seeking International Protection service were missing and unaccounted for in January and February this year.

Additionally, 27 other children were unaccounted for at different stages of the inspection and returned to the centre.

Ms Ward added: “The infrastructure and personnel must be there to support the root and branch reform that is needed in the system.

"This will mean the Government needs to secure funding for at least 300 social workers and social care workers, additional foster carers, as well as capital funding for Tusla to acquire enough appropriate residential facilities.

“We know from children directly of the transformative effect timely interventions, the support of a key professional and appropriate care placements can have.

"However, we also know what happens if we fail to deliver these. For too long, Government investment in our core child protection services and wider family supports has been below the level needed to provide safe and appropriate care for children and young people who have no choice but to depend on the state. This cannot continue.”