Tusla’s social workers handled 96,665 child protection and welfare referrals last year, marking a 5% rise compared to 2023, reports RTE.
The latest annual report also commemorates a decade since the creation of the child and family agency, which recorded 43,630 referrals in 2014.
Since that time, demand has grown across multiple areas, including education, family support, residential and special care, as well as services for Separated Children Seeking International Protection (SCSIP), reports RTE.
The report highlights that the ongoing rise in referrals reflects mounting pressures on families, such as the cost-of-living crisis, homelessness, domestic violence, addiction, and global displacement.
In 2024, 916 children were taken into care, with 604 being admitted for the first time, and 48,443 children were referred to family support services, reports RTE.
Staff recruitment remains a persistent issue cited in reports, seen as a barrier to children having dedicated social workers.
Nonetheless, the report reveals that 1,258 new staff joined Tusla in 2024, including 143 new social workers recruited through the agency’s most successful graduate campaign to date.
Despite concerns over staff burnout and early departures, retention rates improved last year, with overall retention climbing to 93% from 91.1%, and social work retention rising to 91.5% from 87% as of January 2024, reports RTE.
Demand continues to be high across foster care, mainstream residential care, and special care.
A newly established National Fostering Recruitment Team approved 244 new foster carers — a 21% increase over the 173 approved in 2023, reports RTE.
However, Tusla acknowledged ongoing difficulties in recruiting specialist professionals for special care, which serves young people with complex needs.
Judges have voiced “despair” over the shortage of special care beds for some of the State’s most vulnerable children, reports RTE.
Tusla reported progress in 2024 through focused efforts to attract and retain staff, including national and international recruitment drives.
Working alongside the Department of Children, Disability, and Equality, Tusla introduced an enhanced staff grade — Special Care Worker — aimed at improving special care service delivery, reports RTE.
“This strategic initiative is already showing positive outcomes: the opening of an additional special care bed marks a tangible expansion in capacity, and recruitment under the new grade is now under way, supporting the safe and effective care of some of the most vulnerable children in care,” the report said, reports RTE.
Tusla’s Chief Executive Kate Duggan stated the data does not support claims that 70 secure care beds are needed.
She explained the agency cares for over 5,700 children, with nearly 88% placed in foster care.
Increasing number of children with ‘significant and complex needs, reports RTE.
Ms Duggan noted an “increasing number of children and young people who have very significant and complex needs.”
She explained these needs often relate to mental health and ongoing risks of sexual or criminal exploitation, reports RTE.
“Over the last number of years we have been challenged in increasing the capacity of the beds within special care,” reports RTE.
“We have in fact only 15 children in special care today,” she said, reports RTE.
“One of those young people has very complex needs and needs a much higher ratio of staffing. So, what has changed is that we have been able to increase our staffing within special care,” reports RTE.
Regarding unaccompanied minors who go missing while in State care, she said the rise in global migration has led to more young people seeking international protection.
She emphasized the agency’s duty to “immediately engage with An Garda Síochána” if a child disappears, reports RTE.
Ms Duggan added that 27 young people who arrived as separated children seeking international protection remain missing.
“What’s very important is many of those young people do indicate to us their intention to travel on, that Ireland is not their final destiny,” reports RTE.
“But what we’re very mindful is we all know the risk, the increased risk of exploitation, the increased risk of harm that can come to those young people through trafficking,” reports RTE.
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