MECPATHS

𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐢𝐬𝐧’𝐭 𝐚 𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝 𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐓𝐮𝐬𝐥𝐚 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚 𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐡 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐭 𝐩𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐰𝐬?

𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐅𝐨𝐥𝐞𝐲 𝐀𝐝𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞’𝐬 𝐍𝐨 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐌𝐞𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐜 𝐭𝐨 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐒𝐞𝐱𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐑𝐢𝐬𝐤 𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐂𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐧 𝐀𝐛𝐬𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐓𝐮𝐬𝐥𝐚 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐞 Independent TD Ken O’Flynn submitted a series of Parliamentary Questions to Norma Foley, Minister for Children, Disability and Equality, focusing on child safety, absconding from care, sexual exploitation risk, and the handling of unallocated high priority child protection cases within Tusla. Absconding from care and sexual exploitation risk The Minister confirmed that child safety planning is led operationally by Tusla and involves Gardaí, professionals, families, and children where safety concerns exist. She stated that residential care placements do not restrict a child’s liberty, except in special care placements which require High Court approval and are intended as short term therapeutic interventions. She emphasised that decisions on individual placements and safety planning are not reviewed by the Department due to Tusla’s statutory operational independence. Tusla’s Child Sexual Exploitation Procedure, developed in 2021, was cited as the primary framework for identifying and responding to risks of sexual exploitation. This includes mandatory reporting pathways to An Garda Síochána under Operation Cosnaím for children in Tusla care. The Minister acknowledged that her Department does not receive specific briefings or reports analysing the link between absconding from care and sexual exploitation risk, although officials meet regularly with Tusla to discuss risks at a senior level. Funding and policy position It was confirmed that Tusla will receive an additional €165 million in Budget 2026, bringing total funding to over €1.3 billion, with investment directed toward foster care and residential care services. The Minister reiterated the Government’s position that children in State care are among the most vulnerable in society and stated a continued commitment to protecting them from sexual exploitation. Unallocated high priority child protection cases In response to further questions on oversight, transparency, and accountability for unallocated child protection cases, the Minister stated that Tusla and the Department take the issue seriously and that Tusla aims to ensure all children assessed as needing protection have an allocated social worker. She attributed ongoing challenges to staff retention, recruitment difficulties, and rising referral rates. Tusla has introduced a National Policy and Guidance on Unallocated Children and Young People in 2024, alongside case prioritisation guidance, intended to standardise governance, risk management, and escalation procedures across the organisation. Oversight and reporting arrangements The Department receives quarterly Service Performance and Activity Reports from Tusla, which include area level data on unallocated cases and their priority levels. These reports are used to monitor trends and compare regional performance against national figures. Issues relating to unallocated cases and social work staffing are discussed at senior management meetings between the Department and Tusla, with escalation where necessary. The Minister highlighted Tusla’s ongoing Integrated Reform Programme, which includes restructuring into 30 Area Networks, multidisciplinary working, a single front door referral model, and improvements to case management and data systems. Overall position While the Minister emphasised policy development, reform initiatives, and increased funding, the answers confirm that there is no national metric or routine reporting specifically linking absconding from care with sexual exploitation risk, and that departmental oversight of individual high risk unallocated cases remains indirect, relying on aggregate reports and senior level engagement with Tusla.