The Irish Foster Care Association says that the Kerry foster care services need to change to ensure a safe service is provided to foster carers and children.
Catherine Bond of IFCA was speaking in light of a report by the Health and Information Quality Authority which revealed significant gaps in supervisory and support services in the Kerry area.
One of the findings of this HIQA report was that there was one principal social worker responsible for 132 chlidren in the Kerry service area as well as their foster carers.
Catherine Bond of the Irish Foster Care Association says that amount of children requires at least three principal social workers and that the lack of social workers in the county is a real cause for concern.
Inspectors also noted a lack of documentation and that care plans suffered from a lack of managerial oversight, something which, Ms Bond says, can have a profound effect on the child's care.
However, that documentation is also vital, she says for foster carers.
IFCA welcomed the improvements that the Kerry area service implemented in 2021, including the filling of vacant positions.
