An inspection by the independent watchdog Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) into HSE Child Protection and Welfare Service in Waterford has found 397 children on a waiting list for initial assessment and 31 children awaiting further assessments.
The inspection, which took place in April and May of this year and covered 2012, found no cases of organisational or institutional abuse under investigation in the area, though there was one case of a retrospective disclosure of abuse. The Waterford Local Health Area (LHA) covers the city and areas of South Kilkenny from Piltown to Glenmore in the south and northwards to Mullinavat.
According to the information provided by the HSE, there were 1,499 reports into the social work service during 2012.
