Tusla Publishes Annual Report for 2024: A Decade On, Demand and Reform Accelerate

96,666 referrals in 2024 – highest on record, with numbers predicted to exceed 100,000 in 2025.

9th July 2025: Tusla, Child and Family Agency has today published its Annual Report for 2024, marking a decade of service and progress since its establishment in 2014. The report reflects a year of continued growth in demand for services, a significant programme of reform, record staff recruitment, and major advances in digital transformation to better support children, families, frontline and support staff.

In 2024, Tusla’s 1,700 social workers dealt with 96,666 child protection and welfare referrals, a 5% increase on 2023, and a 121.5% increase on the number recorded in its first year (43,630 in 2014). This equates to more than 385 referrals every working day across Tusla’s six regions and 17 operational areas. Demand also increased across education, family support, residential care and special care, and services for Separated Children Seeking International Protection (SCSIP).

Tusla Chairperson Pat Rabbitte said: “By almost every measure, the demand for Tusla’s services continues to grow – but so too does the Agency’s capacity, resolve and sense of mission. A decade on from its creation, Tusla has undergone a transformation. While this journey remains incomplete, it has been marked by significant progress: the building of a national organisation, the strengthening of public trust, and a clearer vision for the future. Its greatest strength is its people – professionals who work every day with courage, empathy, and expertise to support and improve services for children and families in need.

“Tulsa’s Integrated Reform Programme is now at a pivotal point. This system-wide change is essential to delivering services that are more responsive, integrated, and accountable. Change is not easy, especially when it involves deep cultural change, but it is necessary. We are preparing the Agency to meet the increasingly complex challenges of today’s society. After ten years, Tusla has never been better equipped to deliver lasting change and better outcomes for children and families”, the Chairperson concluded.

The continued increase in referrals reflects both the rising pressures on families – including cost-of-living challenges, homelessness, domestic violence, addiction, and global displacement – as well as growing public and professional trust in Tusla as the Agency to whom concerns must be reported.

2024 in Numbers: Meeting Increasing Demand

• 96,666 referrals to Child Protection and Welfare services (up 5% on 2023)
• 916 children were taken into care, 604 for the first time.
• 48,443 children referred to family support services.
• 478 commissioned organisations were funded to the tune of 181m.
• 121 Family Resource Centres supported and developed to include therapeutic hubs; all aligned with Community Therapy Ireland’s clinical governance standards.
• 8,000+ referrals screened by Tusla Education Support Service (TESS) – a 9% increase on 2023 – with 7,575 children supported in the 2023–2024 school year.
• 53,000+ children supported through universal School Completion programmes (SCP), with 25,000+ through targeted interventions.
• 121 additional commissioned organisations received 36m through the SCP (18m more than in 2023)
• 5,823 children in care, 87% of whom were in foster care.
• 95% of children in care were in full-time education.
• 2,935 young people in aftercare
• 90% of those leaving care were in employment, training, or further education.
• 893 children supported by the SCSIP service (32% increase on 2023)
• Tusla ended 2024 with 22,839 cases open to social work.
• Tusla’s Children’s Services Regulation conducted 2,316 inspections of 4,045 early years registered services.
• Tusla’s Birth Information and Tracing (BIT) service received 9,337 information requests and processed 9,246, remaining within statutory timelines.

CEO of Tusla, Kate Duggan stated: “These figures tell the story of a constantly changing society. Children’s needs are changing, and so too must our response. We are facing into a future that demands faster coordination, deeper interagency collaboration, and a whole-of-government commitment to children’s safety and wellbeing. Child protection does not begin or end with Tusla, it is a shared responsibility that lives in our homes, schools, communities, and national policies. 

“Our focus in 2024 has been on investing in the people and systems that drive change, from onboarding over 1,250 new staff, to rolling out digital case management tools that give frontline professionals a fuller picture of a child’s needs. We are also making space for cultural change in our reform programme, building a workplace where staff feel valued, supported, and able to do their best work. Our mission remains constant: to protect children, support families, and help build a more inclusive, resilient, connected, and compassionate society”, the CEO added.

In 2024, 1,258 new staff joined the Agency, including 143 new social workers through our most successful graduate campaign to date, supported by a separate targeted campaign that offered employment to all final-year social work students. A new Social Work Apprenticeship Programme created 113 new training places, broadening pathways into the profession.

Staff retention also improved, with a 93% overall rate (up from 91.1%) and social work retention rising to 91.5% from 87% in January 2024. These gains reflect sustained investment in staff wellbeing, professional development and a culture grounded in respect, accountability, and support.

Tusla advanced its Integrated Reform Programme in 2024, designed to improve how services are delivered to children and families and better support its workforce. A key feature is the Local Integrated Service Delivery (LISD) model, which ensures that every child receives the right service, from the right professional, in the right place, at the right time. Following comprehensive consultation with staff across the country, a model grounded in frontline insight and experience was designed, and the implementation plan was completed, with national rollout planned for early 2026.

Significant progress was also made in building a digital-first infrastructure to support service delivery. Key achievements in 2024 include:

• Launch of a new Data Management and Digital Transformation Strategy (2024–2026)
• Over 140,000 cases managed through the Tusla Case Management (TCM) system.
• More than 97,000 online referrals and 31,000 information exchanges processed through the Tusla Digital Portal
• New oversight dashboards and reports developed for transparency and quality improvement.
• 1.5 million historical adoption records digitised, improving access, compliance, and record management.

These innovations provide frontline teams with secure, integrated access to a child’s information, enabling better decisions, faster collaboration, and more effective interventions.

Demand remained high across foster care, mainstream residential care, and special care. A new dedicated National Fostering Recruitment Team approved 245 new foster carers – a 21% increase on 2023 (173).

A further 47 beds were provided in residential care, with the SCSIP service opening 20 new registered children’s centres, providing a total of 128 extra beds, to provide children with a safe place.

Tusla continues to face challenges, particularly in special care, where recruitment of specialist professionals working with young people with complex needs, remains problematic. Progress was made in 2024, as the Agency implemented a range of targeted initiatives to attract and retain staff. This included national and international recruitment campaigns.

In collaboration with the Department of Children, Disability, and Equality, Tusla has successfully introduced an enhanced staff grade – Special Care Worker – to strengthen the delivery of special care services. This strategic initiative is already showing positive outcomes: the opening of an additional special care bed marks a tangible expansion in capacity, and recruitment under the new grade is now underway, supporting the safe and effective care of some of the most vulnerable children in care.

The 2024 Annual Report reinforces that protecting children is a shared societal responsibility. It requires commitment not only from Tusla, but from every part of public life: education, housing, health, justice, and the community.

As the Agency enters its second decade, it does so with renewed purpose: transforming systems, supporting its people, and advocating for children’s rights at every level of society.

Additional information:

For the full range of “2024 In Numbers” and context, please see Annual Report 2024 at the following link: https://www.tusla.ie/publications/annual-reports

Foilsíonn Tusla Tuairisc Bhliantúil 2024: Deich mBliana ar aghaidh, borradh tagtha ar Éileamh agus Athchóiriú.

96,666 atreorú in 2024 – an líon is airde riamh, agus tuartar go sáróidh na huimhreacha 100,000 in 2025.

9 Iúil 2025: D’fhoilsigh Tusla, an Ghníomhaireacht um Leanaí agus an Teaghlach a Tuairisc Bhliantúil 2024 inniu, ag marcáil deich mbliana seirbhíse agus dul chun cinn ó bunaíodh in 2014 í. Léiríonn an tuairisc bliain d’fhás in éileamh ar sheirbhísí, chlár suntasach athchóirithe, earcaíocht foirne is mó ná mar a bhí riamh, agus dul chun cinn mór i gclaochlú digiteach chun tacaíocht níos fearr a thabhairt do leanaí, teaghlaigh, foireann tosaigh agus tacaíochta.

In 2023, phléigh 1,700 oibrí sóisialta Tusla le 96,666 atreorú um chosaint agus leas leanaí, méadú 5% ar 2023 agus méadú 121.5% ar an mhéid a bhí taifeadta ina céad bhliain (43,630 in 2014). Is ionann sin agus níos mó ná 385 atreorú gach lá oibre thar sé réigiún agus 17 limistéar oibríochta Tusla. Mhéadaigh éileamh thar oideachas, tacaíocht teaghlaigh, cúram cónaithe agus sainchúram, agus seirbhísí Leanaí Dealaithe atá ag Lorg Cosaint Idirnáisiúnta (SCSIP).

Dúirt Cathaoirleach Tusla, Pat Rabbitte: De réir gach slí, leanann an t-éileamh ar sheirbhísí Tusla ag fás – ach leanann acmhainn, diongbháilteacht agus misean Tusla ag fás chomh maith. Deich mbliana óna bunaithe, tá claochlú tagtha ar Tusla. Cé go bhfuil an turas seo fós neamhchríochnaithe, tá dul chun cinn suntasach tagtha air: eagraíocht náisiúnta a thógáil, muinín an phobail a neartú, agus fís don todhchaí níos soiléire a chruthú. Is iad a daoine a neart is mó – gairmithe a bhíonn ag obair gach lá le misneach, comhbhá, agus saineolas chun tacú le seirbhísí leanaí agus teaghlach atá i gcruatan agus iad a fheabhsú. 

“Tá Clár Athchóirithe Comhtháite Tulsa ag pointe ríthábhachtach anois. Tá an t-athrú uile-chórais seo riachtanach chun seirbhísí a sholáthar atá níos freagraí, níos comhtháite agus níos cuntasaí. Ní rud éasca é athrú, go háirithe nuair a bhaineann sé le hathrú cultúrtha domhain, ach tá sé riachtanach. Tá muid ag ullmhú na Gníomhaireachta chun aghaidh a thabhairt ar dhúshláin atá ag éirí níos casta i sochaí an lae inniu. I ndiaidh deich mbliana, ní raibh Tusla riamh níos fearr ullmhaithe chun athrú buan agus torthaí níos fearr a sholáthar do leanaí agus do theaghlaigh”, a dúirt an Cathaoirleach mar fhocal scoir.

Léiríonn an méadú leanúnach ar atreoruithe an brú atá ag méadú ar theaghlaigh — lena n-áirítear dúshláin chostas maireachtála, easpa dídine, foréigean baile, andúil, agus díláithriú domhanda — chomh maith le muinín mhéadaitheach an phobail agus ghairmithe in Tusla mar an Ghníomhaireacht ar cheart imní a thuairisciú di.

2024 i bhFigiúirí: Ag plé le borradh ar éileamh

• 96,666 atreorú maidir le cosaint agus leas leanaí in 2024; méadú 5% (4,742) ó 2023 (91,924)
• 48,443 leanbh a atreoraíodh chuig seirbhísí tacaíochta teaghlaigh in 2024
• Tháinig 916 leanbh faoi chúram in 2024
• 478 eagraíocht maoinithe in 2024 le maoiniú €181m curtha ar fáil
• Tacaíodh le 121 Ionad Acmhainní Teaghlaigh agus forbraíodh iad chun moil theiripeacha a áireamh; iad uile ailínithe le caighdeáin rialachais chliniciúil Therapy Community Ireland.
• 8,000+ atreorú arna scagadh ag Seirbhís Tacaíochta Oideachais Tusla (TESS) — méadú 9% ar 2023 — agus 7,575 leanbh á dtacaíocht sa bhliain scoile 2023–2024.
• Tacaíodh le 53,000+ leanbh trí chláir uilíocha um Chríochnú Scoile (CCS), agus tugadh 25,000+ díobh trí idirghabhálacha spriocdhírithe.
• Fuair ​​121 eagraíocht choimisiúnaithe bhreise 36m tríd an SCP (18m níos mó ná in 2023)
• 5,823 leanbh faoi chúram, agus bhí 87% díobh faoi chúram altrama.
• Bhí 95% de na páistí faoi chúram i mbun oideachais lánaimseartha.
• 2,935 duine óg i gcúram iarchéime
• Bhí 90% díobh siúd a d’fhág cúram i bhfostaíocht, in oiliúint, nó in oideachas breise.
• 893 leanbh a fuair tacaíocht ón tseirbhís SCSIP (méadú 32% ar 2023)
• Chríochnaigh Tusla 2024 le 22,839 cás oscailte d’obair shóisialta.
• Rinne Rialachán Seirbhísí Leanaí Tusla 2,316 cigireacht ar 4,045 seirbhís cláraithe luathbhlianta.
• Fuair ​​seirbhís Faisnéise agus Rianaithe Breithe (BIT) Tusla 9,337 iarratas faisnéise agus phróiseáil sí 9,246 díobh, ag fanacht laistigh den spriocdháta reachtúil.

Dúirt Príomhfheidhmeannach Tusla, Kate Duggan: “Insíonn na figiúirí seo scéal sochaí a mbíonn i gcónaí ag athrú. Tá riachtanais leanaí ag athrú, agus mar sin caithfidh ár bhfreagairt a athrú fosta. Tá muid ag tabhairt aghaidh ar thodhchaí a éilíonn comhordú níos tapúla, comhoibriú idirghníomhaireachta níos doimhne, agus tiomantas uile-rialtais do shábháilteacht agus folláine leanaí. Ní thosaíonn ná ní chríochnaíonn cosaint leanaí le Tusla, is freagracht chomhroinnte í a mhaireann inár dtithe, inár scoileanna, inár bpobail, agus inár mbeartais náisiúnta.”

“Bhí ár bhfócas in 2024 dírithe ar infheistíocht a dhéanamh sna daoine agus sna córais a spreagann athrú, ó bhreis is 1,250 ball foirne nua a fhostú, go huirlisí bainistíochta cásanna digiteacha a chur i bhfeidhm a thugann pictiúr níos iomláine do ghairmithe ar an líne thosaigh ar riachtanais linbh. Tá muid ag cruthú spáis fosta d’athrú cultúrtha inár gclár athchóirithe, ag tógáil ionad oibre ina mhothaíonn baill foirne go bhfuil luach orthu, go dtacaítear leo, agus go bhfuil siad in ann a gcuid oibre is fearr a dhéanamh. Fanann ár misean seasmhach: leanaí a chosaint, tacú le teaghlaigh, agus cuidiú le sochaí níos cuimsithí, níos athléimní, níos ceangailte agus níos trua a thógáil”, a dúirt an POF.

Sa bhliain 2024, chuaigh 1,258 ball foirne nua isteach sa Ghníomhaireacht, lena n-áirítear 143 oibrí sóisialta nua tríd an fheachtas céimithe is rathúla go dtí seo, agus tacaíocht á tabhairt dó ó fheachtas spriocdhírithe ar leith a thairg fostaíocht do gach mac léinn oibre sóisialta sa bhliain dheireanach. Chruthaigh Clár Printíseachta Oibre Sóisialta nua 113 áit oiliúna nua, rud a leathnaigh conairí isteach sa ghairm.

Cuireadh feabhas ar choinneáil foirne fosta, le ráta foriomlán 93% (méadú ó 91.1%) agus coinneáil oibre sóisialta ag ardú go 91.5% ó 87% i mí Eanáir 2024. Léiríonn na gnóthachain seo infheistíocht leanúnach i bhfolláine foirne, i bhforbairt ghairmiúil agus i gcultúr atá bunaithe ar mheas, cuntasacht agus tacaíocht.

Chuir Tusla a Chlár Athchóirithe Comhtháite chun cinn in 2024, atá ceaptha chun feabhas a chur ar an bhealach a seachadtar seirbhísí do leanaí agus do theaghlaigh agus chun tacú níos fearr lena lucht saothair. Gné thábhachtach is ea an tsamhail Seachadta Seirbhísí Comhtháite Áitiúil (LISD), rud a chinntíonn go bhfaigheann gach leanbh an tseirbhís cheart, ón ghairmí ceart, san áit cheart, ag an am ceart. I ndiaidh comhairliúcháin chuimsithigh le baill foirne ar fud na tíre, dearadh samhail atá bunaithe ar léargas agus taithí ar an líne thosaigh, agus críochnaíodh an plean cur chun feidhme, agus tá sé beartaithe é a chur i bhfeidhm go náisiúnta go luath in 2026.

Rinneadh dul chun cinn suntasach fosta maidir le bonneagar digiteach ar dtús a thógáil chun tacú le seachadadh seirbhísí. I measc na bpríomhghnóthachtálacha in 2024 tá:

• Seoladh Straitéise nua um Bainistíocht Sonraí agus Claochlú Digiteach (2024–2026)
• Breis is 140,000 cás bainistithe trí chóras Bainistíochta Cásanna Tusla (TCM).
• Breis is 97,000 atreorú ar líne agus 31,000 malartú faisnéise próiseáilte trí Thairseach Dhigiteach Tusla
• Painéil mhaoirseachta agus tuarascálacha nua forbartha chun trédhearcacht agus feabhsú cáilíochta a chinntiú.
• 1.5 milliún taifead uchtaithe stairiúil digitithe, rud a fheabhsaíonn rochtain, comhlíonadh agus bainistíocht taifead.

Cuireann na nuálaíochtaí seo rochtain shlán, chomhtháite ar fáil d’fhoirne ar an líne tosaigh ar fhaisnéis linbh, rud a chuireann ar a gcumas cinntí níos fearr, comhoibriú níos tapúla, agus idirghabhálacha níos éifeachtaí.

D’fhan an t-éileamh ard i gcónaí ar fud cúram altrama, cúram cónaithe príomhshrutha, agus sainchúram. D’fhaomh Foireann Earcaíochta Náisiúnta Altrama nua tiomnaithe 244 cúramóir altrama nua - méadú 21% ar 2023 (173).

Cuireadh 47 leaba bhreise ar fáil i gcúram cónaithe, agus d’oscail an tseirbhís SCSIP 20 ionad nua cláraithe do leanaí, ag soláthar 128 leaba bhreise san iomlán, chun áit shábháilte a sholáthar do leanaí.

Tá dúshláin fós roimh Tusla, go háirithe i gcúram speisialta, áit a bhfuil fadhbanna fós ann maidir le gairmithe speisialaithe a oibríonn le daoine óga a bhfuil riachtanais chasta acu a earcú. Rinneadh dul chun cinn in 2024, agus an Ghníomhaireacht ag cur réimse tionscnamh spriocdhírithe i bhfeidhm chun foireann a mhealladh agus a choinneáil. I measc seo bhí feachtais earcaíochta náisiúnta agus idirnáisiúnta san áireamh.

I gcomhar leis an Roinn Leanaí, Míchumais agus Comhionannais, tá grád foirne feabhsaithe tugtha isteach go rathúil ag Tusla — Oibrí Cúraim Speisialta — chun soláthar sheirbhísí iarchúraim a neartú. Tá torthaí dearfacha le feiceáil cheana féin ón tionscnamh straitéiseach seo: is leathnú suntasach ar acmhainneacht é oscailt leaba iarchúraim breise, agus tá earcaíocht faoin ghrád nua ar siúl anois, rud a thacaíonn le cúram sábháilte agus éifeachtach cuid de na leanaí is leochailí atá faoi chúram.

Neartaíonn Tuairisc Bhliantúil 2024 gur freagracht chomhroinnte shochaíoch í cosaint leanaí. Éilíonn sé tiomantas ní hamháin ó Tusla, ach ó gach cuid den saol poiblí: oideachas, tithíocht, sláinte, ceartas, agus an pobal.

Agus an Ghníomhaireacht ag dul isteach ina dara deich mbliana, déanann sí seo le cuspóir athnuaite: córais a athrú, tacú lena muintir, agus abhcóideacht a dhéanamh ar son chearta leanaí ag gach leibhéal den tsochaí.

Tuilleadh Eolais:

Don réimse iomlán de “2024 i bhfidiúirí” agus comhthéacs, féach ar Thuairisc Bhliantúil 2024 ag an nasc seo leanas: https://www.tusla.ie/publications/annual-reports