asked the Minister for Health the number of children currently: (a) in residential care in each health board area; (b) in foster care in each health board area; and if he will state the number: (a) in residential care who have been in residential care for five years or more; and (b) in foster care who have been in care for five years or more; and the number of children in either residential or foster care for five years or more who are: (i) legitimate and (ii) illegitimate.
Written Answers. - Children in Residential Care.
137.
I regret that the latest complete data available in my Department on numbers, length of stay and status of children in residential care and foster care relates to the year ending 31 December 1983 and is set out in the following tabular statement. I am asking all the health boards to complete and return urgently data concerning the years 1984 and 1985.
|
Health Board |
Number of children in residential care |
Number of children in foster care |
|
Eastern |
581 |
331 |
|
Midland |
49 |
122 |
|
Mid-Western |
111 |
222 |
|
North-Eastern |
67 |
113 |
|
North-Western |
43 |
76 |
|
South-Eastern |
149 |
157 |
|
Southern |
143 |
148 |
|
Western |
43 |
98 |
|
Total |
1,186 |
1,267 |
|
Number of children in residential care who have been in residential care for five years or over |
Number of children in foster care who have been in foster care for five years or over |
|
420 |
493 |
|
Number of children in either residential care or foster care for five years or more who are legitimate |
Number of children in either residential care or foster care for five years or more who are illegitimate |
|
537 |
376 |