North Tipp's Foster Care Service is going through crisis

THE Foster Care Service in North Tipperary is going through a serious crisis, it was revealed during a recent meeting.
A social care worker from Tusla Fostering told the November meeting of Nenagh Municipal District that many counties throughout Ireland are “in dire straits” when it comes to finding foster parents for children. “There is a crisis in fostering,” said Jeanette Seymour of Tusla, “and the one big message I would like to go out from this meeting is that we badly need people's help. This is a very important, a crucial service, and it's very sad that it's in this situation.”
Jeanette pointed out that during Covid the rates of domestic violence in Ireland increased, which led to more children needing fostering. “Covid has now ended of course, but we are still seeing that higher rate of domestic violence. I have worked in the fostering service in North Tipperary for 20 years. Over that time the number of children requiring assistance has fluctuated, but it is going through one of its spikes at the moment, and we need more support from the general public.”
Jeanette said there has been a decrease in the number of foster carers in North Tipperary. “Some of them have retired after many years working as foster parents. After an incredible career of service they feel they can no longer provide their invaluable service. At the moment we have twice the number of parents retiring as opposed to those coming in.”
There are 6,000 children in foster care in Ireland, being looked after by 3,000 foster parents. In North Tipperary there are 120 children in foster care. They are living with 85 foster families.
Jeanette told the meeting that at the moment there are seven children in the mid-west region who are seeking foster parents, but they cannot be found. She said the foster parents have to be 25 years of age, and the fostering can last for a short-term period of up to six months. She added that when the children reach 18 years of age and they are not ready to live independently then they are accommodated in supported lodgings, “which are akin to digs in college.”
Jeanette said people who decide to become foster parents receive €400 per week if the child is under 12; €425 per week if the child is over 12.
Cllr Michael O'Meara pointed out that Tusla is dealing with “extremely vulnerable children, children that might have experienced trauma. The families who take these children in are the unsung heroes in every parish.”
Jeanette commented that one of the gaps in the system is there is no pension fund for the parents who retire after years of fostering. “Fostering is a vocation, an invaluable service,” she remarked, “and it's wrong that there is no pension scheme.”
Cllr O'Meara agreed that it is indeed a vocation and that it is “scandalous that people receive no pension at the end of their service. The work they do, the work Tusla does, cannot be measured. It is unquantifiable. If the fostering system wasn't in place, God forbid what the outcome would be.”
Cllr Pamela Quirke O'Meara said there's a problem with children refusing to go to school. “We are seeing a worrying increase in school refusals, where children as young as seven or eight don't want to go to school and are doing their best to avoid it. I also know that the workload for social workers is very high and more social workers are needed.”
Jeanette pointed out that the cost of living crisis is pushing families “over the edge. Society has changed. Society is going through big cultural changes, which is having an adverse affect on people's mental health.
“We are also seeing addiction across all strata of society. There are significant numbers of children in need in all strata of society.
“There is also a crisis with social workers in Ireland. There isn't enough of them. Thankfully in North Tipperary we have a full team.”
If you are interested in being a foster parent or would like some more information please call Freephone 1800 226 771 or email tusla.fostering@tusla.ie and speak to a social worker in your area.