FOSTER HOMES NOT REVIEWED REGULARLY
OVEr half of the foster placements made in the Louth/ Meath area have not had any kind of care review in the last three years, a new report has revealed.
This and a number of other issues were identified in HIQA’s Foster Care Service Inspection Report in the Louth/Meath area.
The report found the Louth/ Meath area was non compliant with the National Standards for Foster Care which recommends that the first review should take place one year after the first placement and subsequent reviews should take place at three-yearly intervals.
It also revealed there were 23 child protection concerns or allegations against foster carers in the 12 months prior to inspection.
Managers told inspectors that the carers who had an allegations made against them were priority for review but inspectors did not find that this was the case.
No foster carer reviews had taken place for foster carers where there were serious concerns or allegations in the previous 12 months but inspectors found that reivews were scheduled for some of these families.
In one case, there had been a significant delay and the principal social worker had identified that a review needed to take place as a matter of priority.
IN addition, while an examination of a sample of reviews carried out in the months prior to the inspection found they were comprehensive and included an update of relevant checks, inspectors found recommendations had not always been followed up in a timely way.
In one case reviewed, the recommendations were followed up in a timely manner but in other cases recommendations had not been followed up at all or there was a significant delay before recommendations were implemented.
There werer five complaints made by foster carers and seven made against foster carers in the 12 months prior to inspection.
The inspectors said the complaints were correctly categorised, taken seriously and investigated.
The findings also showed that 6% of foster carers had no allocated social worker and inspectors found that adequate arrangements were not in place to support and supervise these carers.
It also noted that the area had a range of services and resources in place to support carers looking after children with complex needs but in two cases reviewed by inspectors, these supports were not put in place in a timely way. The Louth/Meath area was only found to be fully compliant with one of the eight National Standards examined during the report - the assessment and approval of non-relative foster carers.
In six other categories it was found to be substantially compliant, meaning that some action is required by the provider or the person in charge to fully meet a standard or to comply with a regulation and in one category it was non-compliant.
The report noted that the area has been proactive in recruiting foster carers in the year prior to inspection. However, managers and staff continued to identify that they did not have a sufficient range of foster carers to meet the demands of the service.
Plans were in place to manage this while further recruitment of foster carers was ongoing. Inspectors found that the area retained its foster carers well and carers who left the panel were doing so because they had reached a natural end, such as children aging out of care.