August 29, 2024 — The Irish state agency Tusla faces scrutiny after a recent revelation that it rejected a woman’s application to become a foster parent based solely on her Body Mass Index (BMI). This decision has sparked criticism amid an ongoing national shortage of foster care placements.
Documents obtained by the Irish Independent reveal that the woman was informed via a virtual meeting by a Tusla staff member that she “couldn’t run after a toddler,” a comment made without prior personal acquaintance. Her application was declined solely due to her BMI, despite support from an independent medical examination and her general practitioner.
An internal review of the complaint against Tusla’s Foster Care Committee (FCC) uncovered that the committee relied on outdated guidelines from a policy document last updated in 2017. The review also highlighted a “bias” in the committee’s decision-making process. Tusla acknowledged that the guidance is “currently being reviewed.”
Historically, Tusla has considered a prospective foster parent’s weight as a factor in the approval process, with a BMI threshold of 35 being a common limit. However, contemporary medical research increasingly critiques BMI as an outdated and flawed measure of health.
The woman, who requested anonymity, reported that the focus of her online meeting was predominantly on her weight. She expressed disappointment over the fact that her BMI was the singular criterion for rejection, arguing that it did not reflect her overall health or capability to provide care. Despite the review partially upholding her complaint and recommending a reconsideration of her application, personal changes in her circumstances led her to withdraw from the process.
In response to the complaint, the FCC stated the need for consistency in its evaluations and noted that previous applicants with similar obesity levels had been required to lose weight before approval. However, the investigation found that the only comparison made was BMI, not a comprehensive assessment of health and lifestyle factors.
The review recommended that Tusla’s guidance on BMI be updated and that interim guidance be provided to the FCC. Tusla declined to comment on specific cases, citing privacy concerns, but emphasized its commitment to acting in the “best interests of children” and ensuring national consistency in foster care approval processes.
Tusla’s approach to assessing potential foster parents’ health is under renewed scrutiny, raising questions about the fairness and efficacy of using BMI as a sole criterion.
