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Aontú Leader Peadar Tóibín TD has expressed serious concern following newly released figures showing that more than 3,000 staff have left Tusla between 2020 and 2025, with the overwhelming majority of departures coming from frontline child protection and family support services.
Deputy Tóibín said “The figures provided to me through parliamentary questions paint a deeply worrying picture of persistent staff turnover at the very heart of our child protection system. Between 2020 and 2025, a total of 3,057 staff left Tusla. Of those, more than 2,000 were Social Workers and Social Care staff, the professionals who work directly with vulnerable children, young people and families every day.”
“The number of staff leaving rose dramatically from 342 in 2020 to more than 600 in 2022 and has remained stubbornly high ever since. These are not simply statistics on a page. Behind every departure is a vacancy that must be filled, a caseload that must be redistributed, and a child or family that may lose continuity in a service that depends fundamentally on trust and relationships.”
“The data reveals a pattern of workforce instability that cannot be explained away as routine staff movement. What is particularly alarming is the growing evidence that staff are leaving because of work-life balance pressures, career concerns and opportunities elsewhere. In 2024 alone, 208 staff cited work-life balance as their reason for leaving. We also see growing numbers taking career breaks, moving to other agencies, or leaving for better opportunities. These are serious warning signs that the pressures facing frontline workers remain acute.”
“The response we received acknowledges that staffing shortages impact on Tusla’s ability to engage meaningfully with children and families. It also confirms that, in some circumstances, cases are being allocated to non-social work professionals and that guidance is required for unallocated children and young people. That is a clear indication of the strain that staffing shortages are placing on services.”
Deputy Tóibín continued “While recruitment remains important, retention must become an urgent priority. The Government cannot continue to focus solely on recruiting new staff while experienced workers walk out the door in such significant numbers. Retaining experienced social workers and social care staff is every bit as important as recruiting new graduates. Every experienced professional who leaves takes with them years of knowledge, expertise and relationships that are not easily replaced.”
I am calling on the Minister to publish a detailed assessment of the impact of staff turnover on child protection outcomes, waiting lists, caseloads and frontline services. We need a clear assessment of how many cases are unallocated, how turnover affects continuity of care, and what concrete measures are being taken to improve retention. Children and families deserve a child protection service that is fully staffed, fully supported and capable of delivering the consistent care that they need,” he said.
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