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Tusla Struggles with Surge in Child Abuse Cases | Cork News
Child protection referrals to Tusla hit an all-time high in 2025, soaring 34% over two years to nearly 47,000 cases — with dramatic spikes in physical abuse (+45%), neglect (+37%), emotional abuse (+38%), and even sexual abuse (+20%). Frontline services are stretched thin despite increased funding, struggling to hire enough skilled social workers. Meanwhile, unaccompanied minors — many fleeing conflict zones like Somalia, Ukraine, and Afghanistan — rose 47.5% in two years to 782 referrals, forcing Tusla to expand residential beds and dramatically increase spending on private providers, with…
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