Chris Flood
Question:69 Mr. Flood asked the Minister for Health the present position regarding the implementation of the Child Care Act, 1991; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1613/95]
Written Answers. - Child Care Act.
Chris Flood
Question:70 Mr. Flood asked the Minister for Health the proposals, if any, he has for the completion of implementation of the Child Care Act, 1991; the timescale involved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1614/95]
Chris Flood
Question:71 Mr. Flood asked the Minister for Health the proposals, if any, he has to implement any or all of the recommendations of the investigation team into the Kilkenny Incest Case presented in May 1993, by the South Eastern Health Board; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1615/95]
Limerick East): I propose to take Questions Nos. 69, 70 and 71 together.
As the House will be aware, the central recommendations of the report of the Kilkenny Incest Investigation was that the necessary resources be made available to facilitate the implementation of all sections of the Child Care Act, 1991 and in particular Part III to VI which deal with the taking of children into care, court proceedings and the powers and duties of health boards in relation to children in their care.
This recommendation was accepted by the Government as the single biggest contribution which could be made towards promoting the welfare of children and protecting those who are at risk. Over the last two years, additional resources totalling £20 million has been made available to develop child care services in preparation for the introduction of the Act. Among the developments approved were:—
— The creation of over 370 new jobs for the child care services around the country, including child psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers and child care workers,
— The provision of additional hostel places for homeless children,
— The establishment of new family resource centres and community support projects to assist disadvantaged children,
— The expansion of the homemaker and home help services to help families in difficulty and the establishment of community mothers programmes in a number of boards,
— Increased financial support to pre-school services in areas of social deprivation and the provision of additional places and,
— The development of foster care and other alternative family placement services.
The Policy Agreement between the Government parties, "A Government of Renewal", contains a commitment that the Act will be implemented in its entirety by the end of 1996. During the current year it is intended to commence Parts III, IV, V and VI which deal respectively with the protection of children in emergencies, care proceedings and the powers and duties of health boards in relation to children in their care. These provisions will greatly strengthen the powers of the courts, the health boards and the gardaí to intervene effectively in relation to child abuse and neglect. These are the most complex provisions of the Act. Various sets of new regulations are required to be made in order to give full effect to them. The provisions in question are interrelated and must therefore be brought into force at the same time.
Extensive preparatory work is currently underway in my Department regarding the next phase of implementation. Two working groups were established to assist my Department in the preparation of the initial drafts of the new regulations relating to foster care and residential care. The foster care group has completed its task and the draft foster care regulations have been circulated to interested parties for their comments prior to being finalised. The residential care working group is at an advanced stage in its deliberations and I intend to circulate their draft regulations to relevant interests shortly.
I would also like to refer to a number of important initiatives at present underway to give effect to other recommendations in the Kilkenny Incest Report.
My Department, in consultation with the Department of Justice, the Health Boards and the Garda Síochána is developing new procedures for the notification of suspected cases of child abuse between the Health Boards and the gardaí. These procedures, which revolve around a standardised form for the notification of suspected cases of abuse, are aimed at ensuring closer co-ordination between key personnel from both agencies in order to facilitate the twin objectives of protecting the child and the full investigation of any crime. I expect these new procedures to be finalised within the next few weeks. There will then be a series of training sessions for members of the gardaí and relevant health board staff in relation to the new procedures.
In the area of prevention the Kilkenny Report recommended the extension of the "Stay Safe" Child Abuse Prevention Programme to all classes in primary schools and the further development of the programme for use in secondary schools. The programme has now been made available on a nationwide basis to all primary schools and the necessary social work supports have been provided by the health boards. The extension of the programme to schools around the country has the full support of the Department of Education which has seconded additional teachers to the project. My Department has met the production costs of the programme packs and the other materials required and is co-operating with the Department of Education on the development of an appropriate programme for second level schools.