The Ombudsman for Children and HIQA are to be asked to investigate why the Clare section of the Child and Family Agency left children in State care without an allocated social worker for over three months this year.
This follows district court judge, Judge Alan Mitchell instructing the children’s Guardian ad Litem Sarah Treacy to refer the case to Ombudsman, Emily Logan and HIQA.
At a family law court sitting in Ennis, Judge Mitchell said that it is “a matter of serious concern and unacceptable that the children have been left without an allocated CFA social worker from February of this year until now.
Judge Mitchell said that he has requested the GAL – who provides an independent voice for children in family law proceedings – to refer the case to the two agencies.
Senior social worker with the CFA – Tina Wiseman – told the court that she shared Judge Mitchell’s concerns in relation to the children – describing the situation as scandalous.
Ms Wiseman said that due to considerable staffing difficulties over the past 18 months in Clare, we have quite a long unallocated case list.
