<p>
	Tusla&rsquo;s chief executive says the 2015 figures were less than the previous year</p>
<p>
	&nbsp;</p>
<p>
	Almost 1,000 children deemed to be at high risk were waiting to be allocated a social worker at the end of last year.</p>
<p>
	&nbsp;</p>
<p>
	The annual report from Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, said a total of 6,718 children were waiting for social workers.</p>
<p>
	&nbsp;</p>
<p>
	The agency stressed, however, these figures were improvements on the situation in 2014.</p>
<p>
	&nbsp;</p>
<p>
	&ldquo;High priority cases awaiting allocation reduced from 2,836 in December 2014 to 999 in December 2015 &ndash; a 65 per cent reduction,&rdquo; it said.</p>
<p>
	&nbsp;</p>
<p>
	&ldquo;Cases awaiting allocation to a social worker reduced from 8,542 in December 2014 to 6,718 in December 2015 &ndash; a 21 per cent reduction.&rdquo;</p>
<p>
	&nbsp;</p>
<p>
	The agency&rsquo;s child protection services received 43,596 referrals, of which 42 related to abuse or neglect and 58 per cent to child welfare.</p>
<p>
	&nbsp;</p>
<p>
	Chief executive Fred McBride said 2015 had been a &ldquo;crucial year&rdquo; as the agency worked to develop in particular its early interventions where children were at risk or families in crisis.</p>
<p>
	&nbsp;</p>
<p>
	&ldquo;At a difficult time and with limited resources, Tusla made a strong start to introducing reforms, transforming services and ultimately improving outcomes for children,&rdquo; he said.</p>
<p>
	&nbsp;</p>
<p>
	Despite the progress, however, he said the numbers of vulnerable children without allocated social workers, remained too high and the target was to bring them to zero.</p>
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	&nbsp;</p>
<p>
	(Published by the Irish Times on the 23rd August 2016)</p>
<p>
	<a href="http://www.irishtimes.com/news/social-affairs/almost-1-000-high-priority-children-without-a-social-worker-1.2766076">http://www.irishtimes.com/news/social-affairs/almost-1-000-high-priority-children-without-a-social-worker-1.2766076</a></p>
