1. Presentation on Children and
Family Services
To
Dublin North East Regional Health Forum
25th March 2013
Mary Hargaden
Service Director - Children and Families Services

2. Contents
 Overview of Population
 Types of Service
 Establishment of Child & Family Support
Agency
 Service Plan & Priorities 2013
 Performance Indicators and Activity Data
 Human Resources
 Finance
 Magdalene Laundries - HIQA

3. Overview of Population
HSE Children & Families
Dublin North East

4. 2011 Census Including Child Population
AREA 2011 Census 2011 Child % of Overall
Pop Pop
Cavan/ 129,427 35,085 27.11%
Monaghan
Louth/Meath 309,978 87,562 28.25%
Dublin North 244,362 63,256 25.89%
Dublin North 337,124 72,666 21.55%
City
Region Total 1,020,891 258,569 25.33%

5. 2011 Census
AREA 2006 Census 2011 Census Change
Cavan/ 118,734 129,427 +10,693
Monaghan
Louth/Meath 274,155 309,978 +35,823
Dublin North 222,049 244,362 +22,313
Dublin North 312,472 337,124 +24,652
City
Region Total 927,410 1,020,891 +93,481

6. 2011 Census – Child Population
AREA 2006 Census 2011 Census Change
Cavan/ 31,289 35,085 +3,796
Monaghan
Louth/Meath 73,854 87,562 +13,708
Dublin North 55,018 63,256 +8,238
Dublin North 65,588 72,666 +7,078
City
Region Total 225,749 258,569 +32,820

7. Types of Service
HSE Children & Families
Dublin North East

8. Child Welfare and Protection Services
 Early Years
 Family Support
 Child Protection
 Homeless Youth
 CAMHS
 Psychology
 Alternative Care
 Aftercare
Provided directly by the HSE; by arrangement with
service providers (Section 38); by providing assistance
to bodies (Section 39).

9. Types of Service – Family Support
 Public Health Nursing
 Community Mothers Programme
 Day Nurseries
 Homestart
 Family Support Workers and Programmes
 Neighbourhood Youth Projects
 Family Centres and Family Resource Centres
 Community Child Care Workers
 Springboard
 Family Welfare Conference
 Youth Advocate Programme
 Social Work

10. Types of Service – Child Protection
 Social Work
 Public Health Nursing
 Risk Assessment
 Child Abuse Prevention Programme
 Northside Interagency Project
 Sexual Abuse Assessment Service
 Children First Training/Briefing

11. Types of Service – Alternative Care
 Foster Care  General
 with Relatives
 Emergency
 Short Term
 Long Term
 Supported Lodgings
 Residential Care  Community Based
 High Support
 Special Care
 Emergency
 Short Term & Respite
 Long Term

12. Types of Service – Homeless Youth
 Emergency places of safety
 Emergency out-of-hours Social Work
 Foster Care
 Residential Care
 Day Service – Social Work and Child Care

13. Types of Service – Aftercare
 Aftercare Workers
 Supported Accommodation

14. Child and Family Support
Agency
HSE Children & Families
Dublin North East

15. Child & Family Support Agency
 The Programme for Government 2011 set out fundamental
changes in the delivery of child and family services aimed
at developing a service fit for purpose, to improve
dramatically outcomes for children. This is to be achieved
by:
o Establishment of a Department for Children and Youth
Affairs with representation at cabinet level
o Disaggregation of Children & Family Services from the
HSE
o Delivery of a change programme to drive service
improvement. {Policy, Procedures & Practice and
Models of Care, Workforce Development, Service
Enhancements, Partnership, Cultural Context, Quality
Assurance (including Information), Resource
Allocation}

16. Child & Family Support Agency
 The reform programme is based on the key
principles of the Programme for Government:
 Accessible services at the most local practical
level
 Customer / patient centred services
 Services that are outward looking and
inclusive
 Clear accountability
 Budget transparency

17. Child & Family Support Agency
 The reform programme is centred on a
commitment to ACT
 Accountability: A reformed management structure in place with
Principal Social Workers 3 direct steps from the National
Director; frontline staff 3 direct steps from CFS Area Manager.
 Consistency: The introduction of standard processes, the
commissioning of a national child care information system, the
production of a child protection and welfare handbook, the
instigation of new processes illustrated in the Service Delivery
Framework
 Transparency e.g. the regular publication of Independent
Reviews of serious cases and child deaths and open scrutiny of
service delivery.

18. Service Plan & Priorities 2013
HSE Children & Families
Dublin North East

19. Service Plan 2013
 Set out in National Service Plan 2013
o 100% of Children in Care will have an Allocated
Social Worker
o 100% of Children in Care will have a written care
plan

20. Programme of Work 2013
Key Priorities
 Prepare for the transition of responsibilities to the new
Child and Family Support Agency.
 Deliver statutory services for the care and protection of
children in keeping with the HIQA Standards for the
Protection and Welfare of Children and anticipated
legislation including the placing Children First on a
statutory footing and adoption reform legislation.
 Promote quality and safe services underpinned by sound
knowledge and information management.

21. Programme of Work 2013
Key Priorities contd.
 Promote effective multidisciplinary shared practice and
efficient community engagement.
 Develop a Workforce Development Strategy aimed at
sustaining an efficient, professional and supported
workforce within a culture of continuous learning.
 Develop a National Service Delivery Model
 Development of Performance Management System
 Ensure that there is up to date, timely accurate data on the
number and circumstances of all children in the care
system

23. Activity Data
HSE Children & Families
Dublin North East

24. Number of Children in Care by Type of Care
as at 31st January 2013
Area Res Care Foster Foster Care Other Total
Care with Relatives Types of
General Care
Cavan/Monaghan 3 133 35 7 178
Louth/Meath 8 250 76 21 355
Dublin North 12 94 60 4 170
Dublin North City 57 383 294 27 761
Region Totals 80 860 465 59 1464

25. Children in Care as at 31st January 2013
AREA No. of No. of % of No. of % of
Children in Children in Children in Children in Children in
Care Care with a Care with a Care with Care with
Written Written an an
Care Plan Care Plan Allocated Allocated
Social Social
Worker Worker
Cavan/ 178 154 86.52% 168 94.38%
Monaghan
Louth/Meath 355 337 94.93% 333 93.80%
Dublin North 170 166 97.65% 170 100.00%
Dublin North 761 692 90.93% 717 94.22%
City
Region 1464 1349 92.14% 1388 94.81%
Totals

26. Total No of Admissions to Care all Care Types by Age
during 2012
AREA Total No. Total No. who Total No. who Total No. who
who entered Care entered Care entered Care
entered Aged 7-12 Aged 13-18 Aged 0-18
Care Aged Years Years Years
0-6 Years
% of Overall Total 51.78% 20.98% 27.24%
entering Care
Cavan/Monaghan 46 21 53 120
Louth/Meath 56 37 44 137
Dublin North 99 34 32 165
Dublin North City 105 32 32 169
Region Totals 306 124 161 591

27. After Care as at 31st December 2012
No. of No. of No. of
Young Young % of Young
% of Young % of
Adults Adults Young Adults
No. of Adults Young
aged 18 to aged 18 to Adults aged 18
Young aged 18 to Adults
21 in 21 in aged 18 to to 21 in
Total No. Adults 21 aged 18 to
receipt of receipt of 21 receipt
in receipt aged 18 to receiving 21
an After an After receiving of an
Local of an After 21 in an after receiving
Care Care an after After
Area Care receipt of care an after
Service Service care Care
Service on an After service care
who are who are in service Service
31/12/12 Care who are service
receiving FULL who in who
Service on receiving who have
Education TIME FULL have an
31/12/12 Education/ an After
/Training Education TIME After
Training Care Plan
on on Education Care
31/12/12 31/12/12 Plan
Cav/Mon 47 24 11 45.83% 10 41.67% 21 87.50%
Louth/ 106 86 48 55.81% 47 54.65% 71 82.56%
Meath
Dublin 61 48 23 47.92% 17 35.42% 38 79.17%
North
Dublin 139 93 36 38.71% 26 27.96% 71 76.34%
North City
Region 214 158 82 51.90% 74 46.84% 130 82.28%
Totals

28. Human Resources
HSE Children & Families
Dublin North East

29. Total C & F Staff in DNE at 31st January 2013
Number WTE
Cavan/Monaghan 51.00 46.27
Louth/Meath 148.00 132.76
Dublin North City 262.00 232.41
Dublin North 96.00 84.76
Regional Business Support 36.00 32.79
Regional Information and Tracing 4.00 3.00
Regional Monitoring and Inspection 10.00 9.73
Regional Community Social Care Staff 55.00 48.96
Regional Residential Social Care Staff 195.00 156.66
Regional Adoption Service 14.00 10.27
Regional Out of Hours 21.00 15.86
Totals 892.00 773.47
Regional Business Support include the C&F Regional Service Director and her staff, C&F Area Managers, Foster
payments section and Alternative Care Managers
Regional Residential Social Care Staff work in the 12 statutory residential units in DNE
Note: these numbers do not include the national high support and special care services (Crannog Nua and Rath na
nOg)

30. Finance
HSE Children & Families
Dublin North East

31. 2010 – 2012 Expenditure Trends
Movement 2011 V
Area 2010 Actual 2011 Actual 2012 Actual 2012 % Reduction
Dublin
North 11,410,492 12,281,265 12,428,841 147,576 1.20%
Dublin
North City 40,605,976 41,357,239 36,837,812 -4,519,427 -10.90%
Regional 81,183,075 74,321,257 74,141,106 -180,151 -0.20%
Cav/Mon 6,449,751 6,345,443 7,027,436 681,993 10.70%
Louth /
Meath 23,682,995 23,184,804 21,307,233 -1,877,571 -8.10%
Totals 163,332,289 157,490,008 151,742,428 -5,747,580 -3.60%

32. Combined Agency / Overtime and Travel Expenditure
Analysis v Service Plan Target 2012
Full Year Target Target Actual
Expenditure Reduction Expenditure Expenditure Savings
Category 2011 2012 2012 2012 Delivered % +/-
Agency 4,438,367 -2,219,184 2,219,184 1,705,673 -2,732,695 -23.14%
Overtime 573,458 -57,346 516,112 344,807 -228,651 -33.19%
Travel 1,329,230 -132,923 1,196,307 1,234,596 -94,634 -3.20%
Total 6,341,055 -2,409,452 3,931,602 3,285,075 -3,055,979 -16.44%

33. YTD Position as at 31st January 2013
% Target
Budget Expenditure Actual v
YTD Jan Actual YTD Allowable v Target YTD Actual YTD Variance Target %
Area 2013 Jan 2012 2012 Jan 2013 Jan 2013 v Target Variance
Cavan /
Monaghan 512,853 576,615 99.97% 576,443 619,152 42,709 7.41%
Louth /
Meath 1,944,510 1,773,923 97.77% 1,734,290 1,593,396 -140,894 -8.12%
Dublin
North 919,633 1,168,365 92.65% 1,082,524 1,234,557 152,033 14.04%
Dub North
City 2,584,815 3,288,029 97.10% 3,192,616 2,559,105 -633,511 -19.84%
Regional 6,689,732 6,250,706 97.51% 6,095,160 5,963,359 -131,801 -2.16%
Total DNE 12,651,543 13,057,638 97.15% 12,681,032 11,969,569 -711,463 -5.61%

34. Financial Performance Management 2013
 A maximum spend limit has been set for each area in
2013.
 Performance management will be based on Actual
outturn 2013 versus Actual outturn 2012 as adjusted for
approved posts, savings expected from cost
improvement plans and reductions in grants from July
– Dec 2013.

35. Cost Improvement Plans 2013
 Each area has reviewed 2012 expenditure and has a
plan in place to reduce expenditure in 2013 in order to
achieve targets.
 The cost of Private Placements continues to be most
significant cost driver for Dublin North East Children
and Families.
 All targets must be achieved. Where plans are failing to
deliver expected savings, other compensating plans will
be implemented.

36. Cost Improvement Plans 2013 contd.
 Some of the initiatives / plans include;
 Active management of all Private Placements
 National Tender process for Private placements
 Recruitment campaign for HSE Foster Carers
 Elimination of residual overtime and agency
 Review of all Grant Aid payments to Voluntary
sector
 Robust management of all areas of expenditure
with significant focus on ‘spot’ purchasing (crèche
placements etc.)

37. Magdalene Laundries
HIQA
HSE Children & Families
Dublin North East

38. Enquiry into the States Involvement in the
Magdalene Laundries.
Methodology
 Initial representations to HSE 2010
 Established parameters & commenced document search
2012
 Correspondence, financial & personal files for former EHB
Region in storage.
 Relevant files identified.
 Search criteria:
 Individuals (do we have named persons committed to laundries)
 Pathways (who/how were they committed)
 Financial (what were the funding arrangements to the laundries)
 82 archived files were short-listed for investigation

39. Enquiry into the States Involvement in the
Magdalene Laundries - Results
 Admin files: 16 files found to be of relevance
 List of 326 provided by Commission: 155 matches
 Financial evidence: Payments/correspondence files
showed evidence of funding to Religious Congregations to
run services.
 Pathways: Girls found to be referred to laundries by:
 Social workers
 Courts
 Dept Education
 Voluntary Organisations
 Hospitals
 An Garda Siochana
 Parents
 Psychiatric Services

40. HIQA
 HIQA is an independent organisation with the legal power and
responsibility to monitor and inspect and number of services
provided by the HSE to children and young people in Ireland
 Inspect children’s residential centres and special care units
against the National Standards for Children’s Residential Centres
 Inspect foster care services against the
National Standards for Foster Care
 Inspect child welfare and protections services against the
National Standards for the Protection and Welfare of Children and is also
assessing how the service undertakes its statutory function and
its implementation of Children First guidance on the protection
and welfare of children

41. HIQA Inspections,
Dublin North East
 Foster care services, Louth. Inspected in July
2012 and report published in February 2013
 Foster care services, Dublin North West.
Inspected in October 2012 and report published
in February 2013
 Child welfare & protection services,
Cavan/Monaghan. Inspected in February 2013
and report awaited.

42. Dublin North West
 Comprehensive action plan submitted and
accepted by HIQA;
 DNE & National Oversight Group to monitor
the implementation of the action plan;
 Independent person appointed to the National
Group to provide professional expertise and
advice.
o Dr. Valerie O’Brien, Academic Expert on Foster
Care, U.C.D.

43. Finally….
 CFSA must move from crisis management &
problems to
 HIQA finding mainly success & professionalism
 Demonstrable excellence & quality services
 Safety & welfare everyone’s responsibility
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