UCC receives first Fostering Friendly Workplace Award by Tusla
University is first Irish higher education institution and public sector service to introduce a special fostering policy
University College Cork (UCC) today became the first recipient of a new Fostering Friendly Workplace Award by Tusla that acknowledges organisations that support foster carers in the workplace, ensuring foster care remains an accessible option for individuals and families who work outside the home.
According to Tusla, organisations that acknowledge and support employees who foster help strengthen the national foster care system and indirectly contribute to the wellbeing of children, families, and communities across Ireland. The presentation was made by Tusla National Lead for Foster Care Jacqueline Smyth to Professor Nuala Finnegan, UCC Dean of Undergraduate and Postgraduate Studies on behalf of the university’s Leadership team.
UCC is a worthy recipient of the first Fostering Friendly Workplace award from Tusla. The university became the first Irish higher education institution and public sector service to introduce a special fostering policy in November 2024. The UCC fostering policy (https://www.ucc.ie/en/hr/policies/leave/foster-care/) includes paid time off for fostering assessment visits and review meetings, two days paid fostering leave to support staff receiving a child (or sibling group) being fostered and /or to assist the settling in of a foster child to the family home. The policy also includes flexible working patterns for foster carers and support for staff when a foster placement ends or breaks down via the UCC Employee Assistance Programme.
Presenting the award to UCC, Jacqueline Smyth commented, “Tusla foster carers are a diverse community, coming from a variety of age groups and backgrounds and many foster carers work outside the home. Organisations who support their staff in their roles as foster carers makes it easier for that carer to support and care for vulnerable children and, in turn, ensures that Tusla can continue to recruit and retain a vibrant community of foster carers. We congratulate and commend UCC for its leadership in fostering such a supportive and inclusive work environment.”
Accepting the award, Professor Nuala Finnegan commented, “University College Cork is committed to providing an inclusive and diverse work environment for all staff. As part of this commitment, and the University’s guiding principle of connectedness and prioritising people and belonging, we recognise the value to the community made by foster carers and the commitment of our employees who provide foster care for children and young people”.
“While there is no statutory right to paid time off for employees who foster a child currently, UCC recognises the national shortage of placements for children and young people in care, and we wish to support the recruitment and retention of approved foster carers to address this need. Our foster care policy aims to set out the types of supports and leave that are available to staff who provide foster care”, added Professor Finnegan.
Tusla is Ireland’s only statutory fostering provider and home to Ireland’s largest community of foster carers. Across Ireland, 3,789 foster carers currently open their homes to 5,028 children*. Foster carers play an essential role in providing safe and stable homes to children who are unable to live with their families for short or longer periods of time. Foster carers make a significant, and often unseen, contribution to Irish society; their input helps children and young people through the most turbulent of times.
According to Jacqueline Smyth, employers can make an important contribution to supporting foster care in Ireland
“A foster-friendly workplace could include foster-friendly work policies that support and acknowledge the contribution of employees who foster. These could include the expansion of study leave to include foster care training; flexible working to support foster carer appointments; or flexibility regarding parental leave entitlement. Developing a culture of openness and support to those who foster and choose to remain in the workforce also means that organisation become an employer of choice and attracts greater experience and talent. Workplaces that promote openness and inclusion cultivate a positive workplace culture, leading to improved staff retention, productivity, and better staff satisfaction levels”, commented Jacqueline Smyth.
Organisations open to offering supports to employees who foster should contact the Tusla fostering team at Tusla.fostering@tusla.ie