Tusla, Care Orders & the Social Care System
What is a Social Work Team?
There are different Social Work Teams working in Child Protections and Welfare.
Duty Social Workers
The role of Duty Social Workers is to take calls from people working in organisations and anyone else who wants to discuss a concern that they have about a child.
Duty social workers also play a role in looking at reports and deciding what actions need to be taken, such as assessment.
Intake & Assessment Team
The role of Intake and Assessment Social Workers is to find out if a child is at risk of harm, and if a child or their family requires support.
Child in Care Team
Child in Care social workers support children in long and short term care.
Child in Care Social Workers work to ensure and plan children’s care and monitor a child’s placement.
All children who are in the care of the state, whether it is foster care or residential care, should have a Child in Care Social Worker
Roles in Social Work Teams
In every team of Social Workers, there is a management structure.
The Principal Social Worker
The role of the Principal Social Worker is to manage all social work activity and ensure all work is of a high quality.
Other tasks include chairing and taking part in child protection conferences as needed.
The Social Work Team Leader
The role of the Social Work Team Leader is to work with the Principal Social Worker to manage the workload of the social work team.
Team leaders also attend meetings, case conferences, and court proceedings as required.
The Social Work Senior Practitioner
The Social Work Senior Practitioner carries out work, such as assessments and safety planning, as required.
Senior practitioners also mentor new staff and support the Team Leader.
Senior Practitioners attend case conferences and court proceedings as required.
Social Workers
Social Workers carry out work, such as assessments and safety planning, as required.
Get in touch
If you are a parent who’d like some support through childcare proceedings, freephone or email [email protected], the Parental Advocacy Service, delivered by Barnardos.
Our independent & confidential service is open to all parents of children in care.
1800 333 355.