Child protection, welfare and family support

What this means

• Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, was established by the Child and Family Agency Act 2013 as the dedicated state body for child protection in Ireland.[source]
• Tusla is responsible for child protection and welfare services, meaning it investigates concerns about children at risk of harm or neglect.[source]
• The agency also provides family support services, helping families in difficulty before problems escalate to a point where children may need to be removed from the home.[source]
• Tusla manages alternative care arrangements, such as foster care, for children who cannot safely remain with their own families.[source]
• The agency also regulates early years and school-age childcare services, meaning it inspects and oversees creches, childminders and after-school services across Ireland.[source]
• Because Tusla holds significant powers over children and families, its legal mandate matters for public accountability and oversight of how those powers are used.[source]

Direct impact (1)

• duty held by body
  TuslaBody