Social Workers in Foster Care

2010 / 11            Assistant Secretary:       Cahal McHale 

The Social Workers in Foster Care Special Interest Group of the IASW( SWIFC) is a professional body which aims to provide its members with a forum which will offer Social Workers in the area of Foster Care a professional platform to express relevant professional perspectives and to advocate on behalf of children in Foster Care. 

Following a number of presentations from SWIFC members the 2010 AGM took place in University College Dublin on 22nd April. While there have been no face to face meetings of the SWIFC group or the committee since the last AGM, the Committee have had five teleconferences during the year and have shared information on a wide range of topics which have been reflected in the minutes of these meetings and circulated to all members. The committee have been finding it increasingly difficult to make time, even for participating in teleconferences but nevertheless the importance of maintaining active participation within the group is acknowledged. 

The Health Service Executive carried out a National Audit in Foster Care at the end of 2009 and the details from this audit were compiled in a report which provides valuable data and is directly relevant to Social Workers working in this area. Following a number of discussions on some of the findings of the audit by the SWIFC committee it had been agreed that a secondary analysis of this data would be very helpful in determining practice around the country. It is still planned to pursue this in the coming months. 

Given the high level of deficit in respect of relative foster care assessments in some areas of the country a concerted effort has been made throughout the HSE to address this problem and the group have examined different models of assessment including that developed by Mary Meyler in Dublin. It is also proposed to link up with the Fostering Network in Northern Ireland who have carried out research in this area and it is intended to consider how their approach may be applicable within this jurisdiction. 

Tentative links had been made between SWIFC and the Children and Families SIG during the year. It is acknowledged that there are many areas of common interest between the two groups and it is hoped in the coming year to strengthen connections between the groups. 

During the year a number of discussions took place about the Adoption Bill which came into law in November with the enactment of the Adoption Act 2010. While there would appear to be few variations within the Act that have an immediate impact for Children in Care, it is expected that a constitutional amendment on the rights of the child, which has been promised by the new government, may create possibilities as to how the provisions of the Act might be applied to Children in Care in the future. 

The limitations on resourcing levels in the HSE Foster Care Recruitment Services in many parts of the country, continue to present a challenge to Social Workers. Discussions within the SWIFC Group have indicated that despite increased numbers of people in the community making enquiries about becoming foster carers, HSE

Fostering Teams in many areas have been unable to make timely responses. However the independent sector has in place much more robust response measurers and therefore Social Workers within that sector are in a position to continue to expand their service. 

In November last, the Irish Foster Care Association hosted its National Conference in Westport which was hailed as a major success. A number of SWIFC members assisted with its arrangements and also delivered workshops. SWIFC used the opportunity to host a stand to promote the Group and encourage Social Workers with an interest in the area to join. A number of new members have signed up following this conference. 

Standardised business processes within the HSE are being rolled out throughout the country and concerns have been expressed within SWIFC that the quest for procedural conformity should not be at the expense of diminishing the good clinical practises currently pursued in some areas. It is felt that this SIG could make an important contribution to developments at a national level if we can continue to find ways to let the voice of professionals working in the field be heard. It is in this endeavour that future efforts will need to be focused over the coming year.