<p>
	Inspection by the Health Information and Quality Authority found that 62% of foster carers in the Dublin southwest/Kildare/west Wicklow area had not been reviewed by the Child and Family Agency for more than three years, contrary to regulations.</p>
<p>
	The area has failed to meet 17 out of 19 standards it was inspected against by HIQA.</p>
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	The independent watchdog identified a risk associated with children who had no allocated social worker, living with a foster carer, who had no allocated link worker because no professional was regularly visiting the house.</p>
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	However the risk had not been assessed in the area&#39;s risk register.</p>
<p>
	Today&#39;s HIQA report is based on a HIQA inspection&nbsp;carried out in late June and early July.</p>
<p>
	It found that the service was not fulfilling all of its statutory requirements in relation to children in foster care and the Child and Family Agency&#39;s area managers could not be assured that a safe and effective service was being delivered for all the local children in foster care.</p>
<p>
	The report says that over one quarter - or 111 of the 429 children concerned - did not have an allocated social worker and&nbsp;that a number of these children had not been visited in line with the frequency outlined in the regulations.</p>
<p>
	For example, in one of the case files reviewed, there was no record of a statutory visit in over four years.</p>
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	43% of the foster carers did not have a link worker allocated.</p>
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	Inspectors found that some of these 133 carers did not receive regular visits in line with the standards and one case file they reviewed did not record any monitoring visit since 2012.</p>
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	Inspectors identified a significant risk where no assessment had commenced of a small number of relative foster carers who had children placed with them since 2012.</p>
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	The HIQA report says that some allegations against foster carers were not managed and investigated in line with the Children First National Guidance for child protection.&nbsp;</p>
<p>
	It said&nbsp;three allegations had been made and reported to the area&#39;s foster care committee within the past 12 months.&nbsp;</p>
<p>
	Inspectors found that the management and investigation of a number of the cases had not been timely, for example, the garda&iacute;&nbsp;had not been notified in one case and the completion of initial and child protection assessments had not been timely.</p>
<p>
	Finally, HIQA reports that not all foster carers in the Dublin southwest/Kildare/west Wicklow&nbsp;area had been fully vetted by garda&iacute;.</p>
<p>
	In response Tusla said this evening that a range of measures have been taken to ensure that all children are visited in line with the statutory requirements.</p>
<p>
	The agency&rsquo;s acting Chief of Operations, Mary Hargaden, said that outstanding care plans have been prioritised for attention.</p>
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	Since the inspections, the services staffing complement has been increased by eight to cover maternity leave in the areas, which Ms Hargaden said is in addition to the filling of permanent vacancies.</p>
<p>
	<a href="http://www.rte.ie/news/2014/1120/661023-hiqa/">http://www.rte.ie/news/2014/1120/661023-hiqa/</a></p>
