<p>
	The head of the Chid and Family Agency, Tusla, has defended returning children home after they have been removed by garda&iacute; for their own protection.</p>
<p>
	Chief executive of Tusla, Fred McBride, was commenting on an audit, by Prof Geoffrey Shannon, of children removed from their homes under section 12 of the Child Care Act, 1991.</p>
<p>
	The report details 91 cases where garda&iacute; used section 12 to remove a child, believing there was an immediate and serious risk to his/her health or welfare.</p>
<p>
	Mr McBride said returning a child or young person home, once the crisis was managed, was an extremely positive outcome.</p>
<p>
	Tusla manage these crises and, where it is safe to do so, we return the young person home with a robust care plan and supports in place, if required, and, in most cases, this is also the wish of the young person,&rdquo; he said.</p>
<p>
	At last week&rsquo;s Oireachtas joint committee on children and youth affairs, Mr McBride said Tusla conducted an audit of Section 12 cases in one county between January and May this year.</p>
<p>
	&ldquo;We can report that there were 14 occasions where An Garda S&iacute;och&aacute;na invoked Section 12.</p>
<p>
	&ldquo;Four children were placed in the care of Tusla, including a newborn baby, and the remaining 10 families continue to have ongoing social work support within their homes and communities.</p>
<p>
	&ldquo;One of these cases is due for closure shortly,&rdquo; he said.</p>
<p>
	Mr McBride said no member of Tusla was interviewed about the 91 cases reviewed in Dr Shannon&rsquo;s report.</p>
<p>
	&ldquo;Tusla has requested An Garda S&iacute;ochana to provide identifying details in respect of the cases referred to in Dr Shannon&rsquo;s report, in order that we can review each to ensure it adhered to the highest standards of practice.&rdquo;</p>
<p>
	Mr McBride said that he had also written to Dr Shannon, emphasising that they accepted the report and that they were not trying to undermine it.</p>
<p>
	Fianna Fail&rsquo;s spokesperson on children and youth affairs, Anne Rabbitte, said 5,200 children needed a social worker and 20% were &ldquo;priority&rdquo; cases.</p>
<p>
	Mr McBride assured the deputy that they responded immediately to any child in imminent danger and that a duty intake team was working on 2,000 of the cases.</p>
<p>
	However, he was concerned that the number of unallocated cases was increasing again, after two and a half years of a constant reduction.</p>
<p>
	&ldquo;We are trying to get underneath the bonnet of why that is,&rdquo; said Mr McBride.</p>
<p>
	&nbsp;</p>
<p>
	(Published by the Irish Examiner on the 26th June 2017)</p>
<p>
	<a href="http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/tusla-boss-defends-returning-home-previously-at-risk-children-453336.html">http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/tusla-boss-defends-returning-home-previously-at-risk-children-453336.html</a></p>
