Introduction
The formation of Tusla in January 2014 offers an excellent opportunity to establish and progress modern and appropriate services for children and families in Ireland. This is the Agency’s first Corporate Plan, spanning the period 2015-2017, and sets out how it plans to achieve this, as well as identifying the pathway to longer term outcomes beyond the lifetime of this plan.

Stakeholder consultation
To inform the planning process, Tusla engaged and consulted with a wide range of stakeholders in order to better understand the various challenges, issues and requirements involved. In a consultation process with over 450 people, a number of key themes emerged and these have helped to shape the development of this Corporate Plan. They were:
1. National agency and children’s champion
• Stakeholders would like Tusla to be a truly national agency and children’s ‘champion’.
2. Shaping the system
• Tusla has an important role to play in helping to shape the system and to coordinate a collective response to service requirements.
3. Staff capacity
• A crucial task for Tusla in the formative years is to build the capacity and capability of staff members who directly deliver the services and touch the lives of children and families.
4. Quality of service and experience
• Tusla should provide services that make life better, safer and happier for the children and young people who need Tusla in their lives and to do so sensitively, consistently and responsively.
5. Engagement and co-production
• Stakeholders welcomed the opportunity to engage with Tusla and would like to see this process being continued in order to build relationships and mutual respect as a basis for productive working relationships.
6. Internal unity and effectiveness

• External stakeholders working with Tusla emphasised the need for internal coherence and, in particular, the provision of reliable information, consistent application of protocols and clarity about roles and responsibilities.