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The Child and Family agency. Rollingnews.ie.

Child protection referrals to Tusla reached record high in 2024

Tusla said that cost-of-living pressures and the impact of the housing crisis on families is resulting in more complex child protection cases.

THE CHILD AND Family Agency, Tusla, handled the highest number of child protection referrals on record in 2024. 

Social workers dealt with 96,666 referrals last year, and that number is expected to exceed 100,000 in 2025. 

Referrals were up by 4,742 compared to 2023.

A team of 1,700 social workers dealt with the referrals, according to the agency’s annual report published today. 

The report acknowledges that Ireland is “not producing an adequate supply” of social workers and social care workers through third-level institutions to meet the existing and future requirements for the profession across public, private and voluntary sectors. 

143 new social workers were appointed in 2024, but the Chief Executive of the agency Kate Duggan has said that at least 500 new social workers need to be appointed annually in order to keep pace with the demands on the service. 

Child protection referrals see a screening process commenced by a social worker which determines if a child is at immediate risk of harm. 

The most common type of protection concern reported in 2024 was emotional abuse, which accounted for 45% of the referrals, followed by physical abuse at 25%, neglect at 15% and sexual abuse at 15%. 

The report notes that not only has the amount of referrals increased, but the complexity of the cases has increased too due to the the prolonged impact of Covid-19 isolation on children and families, and the combined impact of cost-of-living pressures and the housing crisis. 

The most common source of referrals was the gardaí, who made close to one third of the overall referrals, followed by safeguarding officers, social workers, and teachers.

Tusla’s annual report states that this increase in referrals has a “substantial impact” on duty teams and other front-line Tusla services, “particularly in an environment where there are shortages of social work and social care staff across the country”. 

In 2024 604 children were admitted to care for the first time, with 916 children being admitted overall. 

As of the end of 2024, 5,600 children were in Tusla’s care, and an additional 330 separated children seeking international protection were also in the agency’s care. 

Increase in non-statutory children’s centres 

The first new statutory children’s residential centre opened in 2024, a four-bedroom centre in Cavan, marking the first new centre to be brought into operation since 2017.  

However, there was a 20% increase in the number of non-statutory residential centres in 2024. 

At the end of 2023 164 non-statutory residential centres were registered with Tusla’s Alternative Care Inspection and Monitoring Service. 

By the end of 2024 that figure had risen to 196. 

At the end of 2024 the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) expressed concerns about the number of children living in “unregulated accommodation”. 

In a ten-year review of these services, HIQA noted that many children living in these centres were not allocated a social worker. 

The authority’s Head of Programme for Children’s Services said that the review found that children as young as 10 years of age have been living in hotel rooms and rented accommodation on an emergency basis. 

Children who are coming into the country unaccompanied are amongst those living in these centres. 

There has been a rapid increase in separated children seeking international protection coming into Tusla’s care due to ongoing world conflicts. 

There were 619 referrals made to Tusla in respect of separated children, and 570 were taken into care or accommodated by Tusla during 2024, marking a 32% increase on 2023.

One third of these children came from Ukraine, while tho thirds arrived from other countries including Somalia, Afghanistan, Nigeria, Palestine, Syria, Zimbabwe and Pakistan. 

In response Tusla opened 20 new non-statutory residential centres. 

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    Mute James Beattie
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    Jun 17th 2021, 11:10 PM

    A tweet I saw earlier that pretty much sums it up

    “As bad as the last few hours have been for the DUP, I have to admit there’s been some political movement and dealings from Sinn Fein. Snookered the DUP, blindsided the SDLP, have FG talking about a United Ireland and have turned the Tories against radical Unionism.”

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    Mute David Corrigan
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    Jun 17th 2021, 11:13 PM

    @James Beattie: SF seem to be in complete control on both sides of the border in fairness.

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    Mute Denis Ryan
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    Jun 17th 2021, 11:23 PM

    @David Corrigan: 37 TDs, less than a quarter of the dail but in complete control. You couldn’t make it up. David how many of the 37 have you heard speak in the 16 months since they have been elected, very few I imagine. They cant even trust the calibre of their own members. Ah well another three and a half years on the sidelines.

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    Mute GrumpyAulFella
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    Jun 17th 2021, 11:31 PM

    @Denis Ryan: 70% of the electorate not interested in them and they’re “in complete control”. Deluded doesn’t come close to explaining it.

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    Mute James Beattie
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    Jun 17th 2021, 11:37 PM

    @GrumpyAulFella: yes Eoghan, you are correct again. Are tonight’s events hard on you ? It’s not a hard question so I expect an answer on this one.

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    Mute GrumpyAulFella
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    Jun 17th 2021, 11:40 PM

    @James Beattie: how many goals did you get in your first season with Stoke? Top player lad.

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    Mute James Beattie
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    Jun 17th 2021, 11:47 PM

    @GrumpyAulFella: still no answer to the question. I notice you are liking your own comments again. It reminds me of a certain journalist who used fake social media accounts to, amongst other things, praise his own work. Pretty similar to what you are doing now ….

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    Mute Daniel Roche
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    Jun 17th 2021, 11:57 PM

    @David Corrigan: Ah that’s some bait and I’m going to bite,yes the DUP are a basket case and SF playing a blinder,full well done,done south,not so much,Mary Lou losing support, government parties plus independence still well ahead plus FG + FF leader growing support,SF doing a great job in the north,still hiding in the south.

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    Mute Daniel Roche
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    Jun 18th 2021, 12:00 AM

    @Daniel Roche: down south.

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    Mute M Bowe
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    Jun 18th 2021, 12:05 AM

    @Daniel Roche: hiding from what or who??

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    Mute GrumpyAulFella
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    Jun 18th 2021, 12:07 AM

    @James Beattie: Southampton or Stoke, which did you prefer lad, seriously? Thought your best form was with Saints. Remember Saints is South. Chin up.

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    Mute David Corrigan
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    Jun 18th 2021, 6:55 AM

    @Denis Ryan: Eh, I meant the party are in total control of itself and how its positioning itself within the political systems on both sides of the border.
    Why do you and a few others on here try to be smart and jump in debunking other peoples comment just because they might say something positive about SF?

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    Mute David Corrigan
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    Jun 18th 2021, 6:58 AM

    @Daniel Roche: Thank you Daniel. At least you understood my post. Playing a blinder up north for sure and they need to start making their play down south. They have definitely ruffled the feathers of the main parties here and they are very worried about SF. It will be an interesting few months ahead.

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    Mute Fr. Fintan Stack
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    Jun 18th 2021, 8:36 AM

    @GrumpyAulFella: Over 70% of the electorate not interested in FF either but they still managed to get in to government by doing a 100% about turn.

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    Mute GrumpyAulFella
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    Jun 18th 2021, 9:00 AM

    @Fr. Fintan Stack: well you’ve put your finger on it. 30% of the vote is great if you can source another 20%+ from elsewhere. The problem is SF is viewed as a toxic party, not only by the 70% of the electorate that won’t vote for them but also by the other parties who won’t go into coalition with them. They’ve a huge way to go before they ever get into government in the South.

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    Mute Fr. Fintan Stack
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    Jun 18th 2021, 9:13 AM

    @GrumpyAulFella: But FFG are viewed as toxic by an increasing number of the electorate. The electorate are the people who count at the end of the day. Not a few dinosaurs who want to maintain power at all costs, because of their toxic policies towards the ordinary person. The “I’m alright Jacks” are dying off. Compare their 40 odd percent combined to their 90 percent combined a few decades ago…. That’s the real picture.

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    Mute GrumpyAulFella
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    Jun 18th 2021, 10:27 AM

    @Fr. Fintan Stack: I think that’s just wishful thinking though. There’s a solid 50% core support for the FF/FG coalition that shows no sign of eroding even after 18 months of devastating Covid policies. I think SF are at their zenith now and this includes a soft fatty layer of floating voters. I think their core vote is probably around 19%. If they got into govt via a left rainbow coalition then they would be decimated in the following GE. That’s politics for ye. Opposition suits SF.

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    Mute Fr. Fintan Stack
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    Jun 18th 2021, 11:45 AM

    @GrumpyAulFella: It’s not wishful thinking, it’s fact. Up to 90% combined, down to 43% in a few decades. The only wishful thinking here is you hoping SF would fail if they got in to power. Maybe you are one of the “I’m alright Jacks”? I don’t know if they would fail. But the current crowd have failed for the average Joe and Josephine.

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    Mute Joe Johnson
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    Jun 17th 2021, 11:10 PM

    The dinosaurs are fighting among themselves. The have become the Divided Unionist Party.

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    Mute John kane
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    Jun 18th 2021, 4:02 AM

    @Joe Johnson: I remember collecting pieces for a glow in the dark dinosaur skeleton back into the early 90s. The bug?? The coco cola earpiece radio? Class. I just can’t be listening to that complete gimp

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    Mute 2thFairy
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    Jun 17th 2021, 11:16 PM

    Another example of how they couldn’t give a monkeys about the people of NI. They are so entrenched in hate and Britishness that they are incapable of actually ensuring the North remains a peaceful place.

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    Mute David A. Murray
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    Jun 17th 2021, 11:19 PM

    @2thFairy: True, but their motivation was probably just to get re-elected by stirring up division and fear and creating and then profiting from political inertia. Sort of like the GOP in America: Government doesn’t work, because we did everything we could to prevent it working.

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    Mute iohanx
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    Jun 17th 2021, 11:21 PM

    @2thFairy:

    Correction: White Britishness.

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    Mute A Well Known Comical Stereotype
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    Jun 18th 2021, 6:30 AM

    It is hard to believe someone who thinks the world is 6,000 years old did not succeed as a political leader.

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    Mute TonyB
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    Jun 18th 2021, 11:53 AM

    @A Well Known Comical Stereotype: well, you’ve seen it here too. Right?

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    Mute Dave Hammond
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    Jun 18th 2021, 12:00 PM

    @A Well Known Comical Stereotype: i dunno …… plenty of them have made a career believing the invisible man in the sky for much of those 6000 years – people in glass houses and all that ;-)

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    Mute Paul Mc
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    Jun 17th 2021, 11:21 PM

    There is no fairness with the DUP or orangeism regarding their Catholic or Republican neighbours so what you reap is what you sow!
    It’s time to realise the croppies will no longer stay down.

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    Mute Fandango Barbecue
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    Jun 18th 2021, 7:32 AM

    @Paul Mc: the statue of Edward Carson outside Stormont without a republican equivalent reflects how unfair the DUP and other Loyalist parties are. There is no way they would tolerate a statue to a republican outside Stormont! It’s no wonder they feel so entitled and privileged when even the government building itself celebrates only them and their politics with no regard for a shared Irish history, culture or politics

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    Mute Sohoma Roanie
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    Jun 18th 2021, 7:12 AM

    Thank to the author for summarising the timeline of events. It’s been difficult to follow but I think I understand what happened now!

    27
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    Mute Peter Daly
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    Jun 18th 2021, 8:18 AM

    Poots gone,
    Irish language legislation in,
    The Protocol stays,
    DUP bigotry crumbling,
    DUP “Britishness” fading.
    Who’s up for marching this season!
    Simply delightful !

    27
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    Mute SPQH
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    Jun 18th 2021, 8:27 AM

    @Peter Daly: Marching? Well these Poots were made for walking ;)

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    Mute Peter Daly
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    Jun 18th 2021, 8:50 AM

    @SPQH:

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    Mute Peter Daly
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    Jun 18th 2021, 8:51 AM

    @SPQH: Ha Ha !!

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    Mute Dave Hammond
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    Jun 18th 2021, 7:16 AM

    Sammy Wilson is the Sarah Palin of DUP – ya can try put lipstick on a donkey etc – what a shambles of a party

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    Mute reginald
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    Jun 18th 2021, 6:45 AM

    Unionism needs to be thrown on their bonfires in a few weeks time and a match be put to it all

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    Mute Mick Tobin
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    Jun 18th 2021, 12:04 AM

    Poots probably saw this coming and had Givan nominated as FM instead of himself in order to avoid an even bigger mess.

    20
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    Mute Michael Healy
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    Jun 18th 2021, 8:29 AM

    SF are sitting back and laughing as parties on both sides of the border self implode, while they gain support without even uttering a word. The dup are the makers of their own downfall here and I doubt anyone up north bar their own deluded mob are shedding many tears. Its clear boris and the tories want nothing to do with them, they made a mess of brexit and then kicked off like a stroppy teenager when if didn’t go the way they planned, and now this lad goes cos once again they didn’t get their way. While it’s amusing to watch them self destruct, we need to makes sure their knuckle dragging fleggggg and orange supporters don’t use this as an excuse to kick off more violence over the summer..

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    Mute GrumpyAulFella
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    Jun 18th 2021, 9:03 AM

    @Michael Healy: I’m sure they’re gaining support. They’re down 3 points in NI since the last election and Mary Lou’s ratings in the South have dropped 3% also. The DUP voters won’t be going to SF, they’ll be heading to UUP or Donaldson will actually make them stronger. It’ll be interesting to watch.

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    Mute Derek Power
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    Jun 18th 2021, 8:20 AM

    Season 5 of ‘The Thick of It’ is turning out to be the best one yet.

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    Mute Shane Meegan
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    Jun 18th 2021, 10:12 AM

    Thanks for this article. Have found it difficult to follow what’s been happening and getting my head around the many moving parts. This piece was helpful.

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