The Government must speed up efforts to hire social care workers, as new figures show more than 6,000 child protection cases awaiting social workers to be assigned.
This is the view of Fianna Fáil spokesperson on Children and Youth Affairs, and European Parliament candidate for Midlands-North-West, Anne Rabbitte. She was speaking after figures released to Fianna Fáil, showed 6,432 child protection cases are awaiting a social worker. Of these, 1,003 were classed as high priority.
While it is understood that Tusla will assign an on-duty social work team member until an appointed social worker is in place, Dep Rabbitte has called for “greater consistency” for the children who are in “dreadful situations, through no fault of their own”.
Last year, Dep Rabbitte raised this with the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Katherine Zappone. However, she said it “very disappointing” that “little has been done to change the situation”.
