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SOCIAL WORKERS AND foster carers say that a “lack of communication” from Tusla is one of most concerning areas of the work that they do.
A joint consultation of 300 social workers and foster carers by Tusla and the Irish Foster Care Association (IFCA) found that significant challenges are faced in areas such as culture, policy and systems that the Child and Family Agency has in place.
There were also positive aspects highlighted in terms of how foster carers felt rewarded in their job, and the support they received when seeking advice on a child that has experienced abuse, for example.
The IFCA said that Tusla’s participation in getting this feedback and putting improvements in place is a “clear expression of their commitment to improving fostering relationships and experiences for children and families”.
Challenging times
In terms of “sector strengths”, the consultation found that most foster carers felt they understood how the system works, felt their foster carer review was positive, and rated their local foster carers group as good or very good.
From the perspective of social workers, the vast majority felt appropriately skilled to deal with a placement breakdown, felt they had appropriate knowledge to deal with a child making a disclosure of sexual abuse and received some form of training in the last year.
The consultation report – which can be viewed here – then delves into the main issues of concern highlighted by social workers and foster carers, before detailing measures that will be taken to improve them.
For example, issues around communication, or lack thereof, between social workers and foster carers themselves was highlighted.
The report said: “The most significant challenge raised within the surveys and national consultations was that foster carers, on occasion, felt disrespected by the tone and nature of communications with social workers.
Connected to this issue was a view that foster carers were not sufficiently part of a partnership process in their engagement with social workers. The initial survey highlighted cultural issues in relation to trust, respect and timely communication.
In order to improve on this measure, Tusla said it will develop a standardised survey to be completed every two years to measure how relationships between social workers and foster families has changed.
Another thorny issue came in the form of policy, and how issues raised were addressed.
The report said: “Concerns were also raised about how specific work practice issues were raised repeatedly within the system and were not addressed in a timely or consistent manner.
A lack of clarity and timely resolution of issues impacts on the everyday work of social workers and foster carers. Differences in approach, interpretation, and implementation of policy were reported as leading to significant frustration, inefficiencies, perceptions of decisions being made based on personality rather than policy or process, and, in some cases, to ineffective practice.
Here, Tusla said it would undertake a review of all policies to make sure that there is a common clarity and understanding.
These policy review will take in aspects such as access, aftercare, allegations against carers, foster care recruitment, communication, staffing levels and training.
Working together
There are a number of areas where Tusla said it would work with the IFCA to create a better experience for foster carers, social workers and the children involved.
These include:
Catherine Bond, CEO at IFCA, said: “[The social worker and foster carer's] input will ensure that the voices of foster carers and the best interests of children in care will inform the development of Tusla’s alternative care strategy.
Their participation and engagement in this process is a clear expression of their commitment to improving fostering relationships and experiences for children.
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Nothing surprises me when it comes to the carry on of sc&mbags in this country anymore….
In this country? I think you mean in Dublin, no need to be broad when the crime problems are largely contained in one small corner.
Didn’t know Limerick was in Dublin
Isn’t the 90′s anymore grandad. Limerick is one of the safest parts of the country now while Dublin is far and away the most dangerous relative to population. And it’s getting worse, spiralling out of control even. It’s now earned a reputation as one of the dangerous cities in Europe.
http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/special-report-crime-analysis-reveals-meanest-and-safest-streets-234001.html
http://www.irishcentral.com/news/dublin-has-become-the-gun-murder-capital-of-europe-69575922-237669061.html
And where may I ask are you living ‘Rochelle’. Easy to make these statements when we don’t know who you are.
Play the ball… not the Rochelle
Where I’m from has no bearing on Dublin’s status as a crime blackspot. This isn’t opinion of course, I’ve provided stats that show its higher than average crime rate compared to the rest of the country and relative to population. Rather than looking for a slagging match maybe you should consider those.
Who would do such a thing. Sweet jesus christ
Don’t go blaming Jesus. There needs to be an investigation.
Beside the children’s hospital ? Have these fools got no cop on at all , did they not stop to think that part of the hospital may have had to be evacuated too ? Can you just imagine the fear in the poor sick kiddies
It was actually a good distance from the hospital Joan..
Elaine , well that’s good to hear ,
On and on it goes and not a peep out of Sinn Fein! More seats in Dail Eireann and more seats in the European Parliament but still not a word out of Sinn Fein.
These improvised devices put the lives of our Defence Force personnel at great personal risk and but for their courage and bravery the products of that dirty little sectarian conflict would be maiming and killing our people on the streets of Dublin and Dundalk and Limerick. In fact it is hard to tell where these little gems of Republican ingenuity and evil haven’t found themselves in pursuit of whatever goals that are currently the Orders of the Day.
And still not a peep out if our excessive cartridge users and our gun smugglers and our uniform wearing Members of the Political Wing of the IRA!
These pages are infested with them and the majority stay silent !
Well I’m tired of them telling us how appalling our politicians are as they slyly and brutally take what is not theirs and bludgeon their way to the levers of power.
Isn’t it time we told them to decide whether they want to be criminals and thugs or decent citizens?
Eejit.
To be fair it’s more likely to be one of the two or more gangs feuding in the area than republican dissidents although I suppose it’s possible that there is a republican element involved. Maybe some more facts before making assumptions.
Do you feel better after that Richard?
From pipe bomb to sinn fein in one go.. well done Richard.
Richard do you know who made this bomb and carried out the attack? The Army bomb disposal got there 2 hours ago and AFAIK no political party has condemned it. You and Patrick Lyons should meet up and go to group therapy to try to get over your pathological issues.
what are you talking about?
This type of activity has been going on for over 40 years. It is doing the country a great disservice.
I don’t support SF but I can tell you on a local level they are very vocal about anti social behaviour.
Glen, it depends on what you mean by anti-social behaviour. I consider bombings, shootings, torture and murder to be very anti social. All of these activities were carried out by various IRA gangs but I never heard SF condemning such actions.
Good man Patrick because only the IRA know how to make pipe bombs. You could never find any info on the internet about how to make them.
Richard needs a hug :-D
This type of crap happens all over the world Pickart
Do some of you not realise that there was a peace process. ? The comments on here are so far removed from today that I wonder what planet some people are on. There are feuding gangs all over the place. Nothing to do with politics .
I think Richard May have sand in his vagina!
Hardly IRA. Sounded very amaturish. Not to say that does not make it lethal
At least they disabled it —- a more dangerous device is on its way to all hospitals, Leo Veradkar.
Some can of p@% s , a brain scan might help you what a statement
Brian, so the IRA were not involved in bombings and shootings resulting in over 2,000 deaths, it was the man who looked it up on the internet?
Patrick I never said that. I was referring to your insinuation that a now defunct organization was some way involved in this. Any langer can make a pipe bomb but your paranoia sees non existant Provos everywhere!
A lot of the gang members have just joined other gangs. Disbanding one gang does not make everything all right or normal – the dead are still dead, the maimed are still maimed.
So Patrick, you agree that the PIRA has disbanded. Good for you, you won’t have to check under your bed tonight in case there are any Provo bogeymen under there!
Brian Ward
A full blown Member of Sinn Fein tells us the IRA have gone away and we have to believe him? Surely the fact that a gentlemen was arrested at a Lucan hotel a weeks ago in possession of a sixty pound primed car bomb would make us certain that these guys haven’t gone anywhere and their activities are just as murderous today as they were during their dirty little sectarian conflict.
In fact there is evidence to suggest that these folk are trading their bomb making expertise for cash with Dublin and Limerick drug gangs for cash which shows quite clearly that they are people of the highest integrity.
Brian please go away and try to find a few idiots to convince!
Regardless of who is responsible. Could whoever you are not just go elsewhere and fight it out. Have more compassion for the women and young sick children. Take it away from the innocent kids.
“Brian Ward
A full blown Member of Sinn Fein tells us the IRA have gone away and we have to believe him?”
Really Richard? A full blown member, that is certainly news to me. If you do have access to SF membership records would you kindly tell them that I never signed up to the party and please refund any monies that they have taken out of my account without my knowledge.
BTW you don’t have to believe me, you can always read the Independent International Commission on Decommissioning reports, or ask the British and Irish Governments, MI5, MI6, Garda CSB, and the PSNI or are they all wrong in saying that the Provos no longer exist. The lad in Lucan was an alleged dissident Republican who hate SF but don’t let that little thing distort your warped sense of reality.
LOL, a full blown member of SF. Only last week I was accused of being a right wing lackey of Fine Gael! Now I’m totally confused.
So pigfart your finally realising prohibition doesn’t work
I see no reason to think the IRA would have done that but it horrified me to know that is going on so close to so many of Dublins kids. It needs to stop.
Seems like everyone in Ireland is a political guru these days. Watching to much Love Hate. Duck politics and watch out for the kids. No safe kids, No future worth having. All Muppets if they don’t care about the kids.
Terrorism in all it’s shapes and forms is repugnant to any sane person. Gang warfare in this country in the last 40 years has always existed on the perifery of ‘republican’ and ‘loyalist’ factions, it is how their activities were, and are, funded. From the execution of the ‘General’ who refused to pay his percentage, to the assasination of Alan Ryan more recently, to the sale of IED’s by serving or ex members of parimilatary gangs means that the political influence can never really be ruled out. As such the general consensus among right minded people is that these actions and these crimes are wrong and must be flushed out of the very hidden corners of any political organisation, in order for it to be considered’democratic’. Failure of the leaders of any political party to wholly condemn all present and past acts of terrorism should mean expulsion from those parties, not only of the leaders, but any associated members. It is time that we decided that politics, crime, fraud and terrorism cannot mix. An invisible border does not, and should not, excuse anybody from acts of terrorism, like for instance the ‘kneecapping’ of an 18vyear old yesterday in Northern Ireland. Would any politician from any party like to comment, especially those parties active on both sides of the border. Both states have a police force, both states have political parties committed to democratic principles, or socialist ideals. So, how far removed from criminal and subversive acts are our political parties, I would have to weigh in on the side of taking the blinkers off and actually taking a good hard sniff of the coffee fumes.
Just incase you don’t know where Drimnagh is, it’s beside Crumlin!
Drimnagh is a very big area and Crumlin is very spread out area. I’d like to know where device was planted… Was it actually near the childrens’ hospital.??
Why the f!*k a kids hospital? There is answer to justify these actions
I live in the area it was found nowhere near the hospital or near crumlin. I’d love to find out where you get your info from.
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