More social workers are needed to help provide counselling services to victims of sexual abuse, according to the annual report of Children at Risk in Ireland (CARI).
A lack of resources in social work support for victims of sexual abuse has meant CARI now has to fill the gap in providing services to children, the report says.
In some cases social workers referring cases to CARI come under pressure to close the case, leaving CARI as the only agency supporting a particular client, it says.
Mr Alan Corbett, national clinical director of CARI
Mr Alan Corbett, CARI's national clinical director, told ireland.comthat CARI is reluctant to provide long-term therapy to clients who don't have the support of a social worker.
He said it would be a dangerous to have someone go through all the emotions of therapy and then have no support from a social worker once the therapy session had finished.
"We need a higher degree of professionals and we need a higher degree of training for social workers who are going to work with children. It's not just about recruiting social workers, it's about keeping them as well," said Mr Corbett.
"Our work with children cannot exist in isolation, but due to systemic failings - mainly resource-based - social workers are under pressure to close cases once they have been referred to us. The net result of this is that we find ourselves becoming the only agency supporting particular clients.
"It is our clear and unequivocal message that this situation is an unsustainable one, and the matter needs to be addressed on a long-term basis with a review of the number of social workers made available to work with and support our clients," he added.
The CARI Foundation provides a therapy and counselling service to children, families, and groups who have been affected by child sexual abuse.