andMr. Briscoe asked the Minister for Health if he will make arrangements for the appointment of youth workers by the health boards as part of their community care teams.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Community Care Teams.
11.
Social worker personnel employed by health boards and by voluntary agencies on community care provide services for families but they are not assigned specifically as youth workers.
Such workers are, however, employed by a number of voluntary agencies such as Comhairle Le Leas Oige and also by the Department of Justice.
It is intended that when community care teams are set up in each area by the health boards they will maintain close and continuous liaison with voluntary agencies but it is not proposed at present to appoint youth workers to the community care teams.
Can the Parliamentary Secretary say whether in the future health boards will be in a position to have youth workers as part of their community care teams?
It is not excluded. I can say that to the Deputy.
But it is not operative at the moment in most of the health board areas.
No. The reply says it is not proposed at present to appoint youth workers. That would indicate that it would not necessarily be excluded in future.
Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that most of the involvement in youth work is by voluntary organisations and would he not consider the establishment of a youth worker as part of the community care team in each of the health board areas a necessity?
I will pass on the Deputy's observations to the Minister.