A CHILD IN Dublin was placed on a wait list for over 14 months after a referral of sexual abuse was made to Tusla, even though a second concern was raised a month after the first referral.

It is one of several cases highlighted in an inspection report by the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA), exposing numerous service delays in the Dublin South Central area.

The inspection examined progress on case allocation, waitlists, safety planning, and oversight of child protection cases.

In the 12 months prior to the inspection, the area received 7,781 child protection and welfare referrals.

In the case of the child at risk of sexual abuse, they were placed on a waitlist and classified as “medium” priority, the HIQA report found, with no adjustment made after the second referral.

The report also noted that the child had not been met by child welfare officers, despite internal audits recommending such contact.

At the time of the inspection, the child had still not received any therapeutic support.

In a separate case flagged by HIQA, a referral alleging physical abuse of a child with complex needs was incorrectly classified as a child welfare concern and prioritised as medium, with gardaí initially not notified.

In another case involving a one-year-old, clarifying information needed to assess risk had not been sought six months later, leaving the child’s wellbeing unestablished.

Overall, HIQA found that social services staff in the Dublin South Central area were lacking, as the scale of demand continued to challenge the service.

However, HIQA also highlighted that the percentage of unallocated cases had fallen from 54% in February 2024 to 41% at the time of the inspection, and is currently at 34%, which the report described as reflecting “focused efforts” in the area.

Tusla said that cases awaiting allocation are regularly reviewed, with urgent responses provided when necessary.

Alamy Alamy

In a statement on the inspection, the agency highlighted ongoing reforms, including the Local Integrated Service Delivery Model, designed to improve access to services and support staff.

Gerry Hone, Interim Director of Services and Integration at Tusla, said HIQA oversight “assists us in striving for the best possible standards across our services.”

In relation to the child at risk of sexual abuse, he added: “On this occasion, due in part to challenges relating to rising demand and the capacity of the service to meet this demand, we have not reached those expected standards.”

Tusla said that improvements agreed with HIQA following the inspection include better oversight and progression of unallocated cases, allocating additional resources, and implementing a compliance plan for child protection and welfare referrals for children in care.