At-risk kids in Galway not getting protection

Children in Galway at risk of harm are not getting proper child protection and welfare services because of cutbacks to frontline resources such as social workers. In a damning indictment of the health service’s austerity regime, a HIQA report has revealed shocking numbers of at-risk Galway children on waiting lists to be assigned a social worker, and a huge backlog in those waiting to be assessed. The report noted that in Galway there were 327 children waiting to be allocated a social worker and 265 child referrals were awaiting an initial assessment. The service has conceded that even children at ‘high risk’ of harm are not being seen in a “timely manner” due to a lack of resources. Staff working within the system also conceded that waiting lists cannot be eliminated due to a lack of resources and high demand for services. The Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) blamed a lack of resources for the failure of Health Service Executive (HSE) in Galway to sufficiently protect children at immediate risk of harm. HIQA carried out an inspection of child services in Galway. The inspections were announced and took place over two weeks between November and December of 2013. “This inspection found that child protection and welfare services were not fully effective due to the impact of significant waiting lists and limited access to support services,” the HIQA report said. “Access to child protection and welfare services was determined on the basis of risk but, even so, cases prioritised as being at ‘high risk’ did not always receive a timely service.” For more on this story, see the Galway City Tribune.