Minister Flanagan Releases Performance Framework for the Child and Family Agency

Mr. Charlie Flanagan T.D., Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, today announced that he has issued the first Performance Framework for the consideration of the Child and Family Agency, Tusla.

The Performance Framework model was devised having regard to the Report of the Taskforce on the Establishment of the Child and Family Agency, which addressed itself directly to the question of governance, accountability and transparency in assessing the best organisational structure for the new Agency. The process is a significant development in traditional business planning and goal setting in a public service context in which the development of the Corporate Plan is informed by a structured dialogue between the Minister and the Agency. The Performance Framework marks the commencement of that process setting out policy guidance, direction and prioritisation parameters from the Minister. As such, the Performance Framework represents a consolidated agenda for children’s services sustainability, development and reform.

The Minister said: “The Performance Framework provides the backdrop to the on-going process of consultation on the Corporate Plan which the Agency is engaged in with stakeholders and staff.

“The Government established the Child and Family Agency, Tusla, to provide a platform for the delivery of more efficient and effective services to vulnerable children and families. The Performance Framework which has issued to the Agency will provide policy guidance, direction and prioritisation parameters for the preparation of its Corporate Plan, which will in turn include the Agency’s key objectives, outputs and related strategies.

“The issuing of the Framework also marks the commencement of a performance dialogue with the Agency so that, working together, we can agree a 3-year Corporate Plan which is ambitious and achievable.

The construction of the Performance Framework is pitched at a strategic level. While providing the policy guidance and direction, it aims to ensure that the Board and the Executive have appropriate flexibility to determine the precise ways in which services will operate so as to achieve agreed priorities; and the timelines for key developments.”

Under the Child and Family Agency Act, Tusla will now submit a Corporate Plan within 3 months to the Minister for approval.