HSE Child Protection and Welfare Service in Carlow/Kilkenny - hiqa.ie

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Inspection of the HSE Child Protection and Welfare Service in Carlow/Kilkenny Local Health Area in theHSE South RegionHealth Information and Quality AuthorityThe NRP had completed, and the HSE had published, reports relating to 16 seriousincidents between March 2010 and September 2012. These reports identified areasof learning and made recommendations towards the improvement of services andpractices to children and families known to the HSE child protection and welfareservices. The area manager told inspectors that he/she had presented some of therecommendations from these reviews and other case reviews to some of the headsof discipline in the area as part of multidisciplinary learning and development.Inspectors were also told that the principal social worker had also provided asummary of these reviews to the social worker team. However, there was noevidence throughout the inspection that recommendations from reviews hadimpacted on local social work practice.Standard 2:12 – The specific circumstances and needs of childrensubjected to organisational and/or institutional abuse and children whoare deemed to be especially vulnerable are identified and responded toThis standard was met in partThe area manager had an informal process in place for the assessment of risk inrelation to allegations of organisational and institutional abuse and this practiceincluded the evaluation of risk to other children. The area manager told inspectorsthat s/he received reports as the designated person of alleged organisational and/orinstitutional abuse. S/he determined, with the assistance of the acting principal socialworker and the social work team leaders, what action was required and there wasevidence that practice was guided by Children First (2011). While some socialworkers were aware of the practices for managing cases of organisational andinstitutional abuse, including the requirement that An Garda Síochána be notified ofall cases, others were not. Should the area manager be absent, there was a risk thatsuch cases might not be appropriately managed in a timely manner.There was a notification system in place between the area manager and An GardaSíochána where written information was shared about suspected organisational orinstitutional abuse. Inspectors attended a meeting where details of concerns wereshared and a plan established to address potential risks to children. The options ofother services, example psychology, being available to children and families wereagreed.As part of the sample of cases reviewed, inspectors examined cases of allegedorganisational and institutional abuse and found they were assessed and managedby social workers. However, not all of the requirements of Children First (2011) weremet. While cases were complex and required careful management, inspectors foundthat the process was dependent upon the positive individual relationships betweensenior Gardaí and senior LHA managers rather than following any procedure. HIQAinspectors also found examples of sensitive cooperation between the LHA and AnGarda Síochána.32
Inspection of the HSE Child Protection and Welfare Service in Carlow/Kilkenny Local Health Area in theHSE South RegionHealth Information and Quality AuthorityTheme 3: Leadership, Governance and ManagementUnder this theme, a well governed service directs and manages activities usingobjectivity, accountability and integrity and supports the delivery of effective andsafe services to children and families. Overall accountability for the delivery of theservices is clearly defined with ongoing audit and monitoring of its performance.Related reference:• Standard 3:1 – The service performs its functions in accordance with relevantlegislation, regulations, national policies and standards to protect childrenand promote their welfare.• Standard 3:2 – Children receive a child protection and welfare service, whichhas effective leadership, governance, and management arrangements withclear lines of accountability.• Standard 3.3 – The service has a system to review and assess theeffectiveness and safety of child protection and welfare service provision anddelivery.• Standard 3:4 – Child protection and welfare services provided on behalf ofstatutory service providers are monitored for compliance with legislation,regulations, national child protection and welfare policy and standards.Standard 3:1 – The service performs its functions in accordance withrelevant legislation, regulations, national policies and standards to protectchildren and promote their welfareThis standard was met in part.The service was not consistently performing its functions in accordance with nationalpolicies and standards to protect children and promote welfare. Although staffmembers had a good knowledge of relevant legislation and national guidance, theirknowledge of the National Standards for the Protection and Welfare of Children andnational policies was inadequate.Inspectors spoke with social workers and reviewed social work practice. They foundthat social workers’ knowledge and practice in relation to legislation was of a goodstandard. However, social workers’ theoretical knowledge of Children First (2011) didnot always direct their practice as described in Theme 2. Social workers’ knowledgeof national policies and the Standards was not sufficient and this impacted onaspects of their practice. It was not clear from interviews that staff in the LHA wereaware of and consistently implemented all policies and procedures at all times toensure a consistent, high quality service to children and their families including thoseon protective disclosure, inter-area transfers, risk management and information and33
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HSE Child Protection and Welfare Service in Carlow/Kilkenny - hiqa.ie

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