Tony Gregory
Question:41 Mr. Gregory asked the Minister for Health the number of children under 18 placed in bed and breakfast accommodation by each health board in August 1995. [13653/95]
Written Answers. - Child Care Placements.
Tony Gregory
Question:45 Mr. Gregory asked the Minister for Health the number of children placed in hospitals in 1995 in each health board area due to the unavailability of appropriate care placements. [13657/95]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 41 and 45 together. Information on the number of children placed by health boards in bed and breakfast accommodation and in hospitals during 1995 is not yet available to my Department. I will arrange to let the Deputy have details as soon as these come to hand.
Tony Gregory
Question:42 Mr. Gregory asked the Minister for Health the number of children under 18 in each health board area whom health board staff have decided should be in care but who are currently at home due to the unavailability of appropriate placements. [13654/95]
Section 3 of the Child Care Act, 1991 requires health boards, in the discharge of their functions under the Act, to have regard to the principle that it is generally in the best interests of a child to be brought up in his or her own family. Thus, the emphasis is on providing support and assistance to vulnerable families so that children can remain at home and only in exceptional cases are children to be taken into care. I believe this to be the correct approach and that it has the support of the vast majority of those professionally involved with children.
I am aware that certain difficulties exist in relation to the provision of appropriate placements for certain children who need to be taken into care, particularly those whose behaviour is such that they cannot be cared for within the existing range of child care services. I want to assure the House that action is being taken to address this problem. The 1995 Child Care Action Plan which I launched last July includes a range of initiatives to increase the availability of care placements. Among the developments which I have approved are the following.
The Eastern Health Board has been given approval to develop new residential facilities and to expand its foster care services through the recruitment of an additional 80 foster parents. Approval has also been given to additional family placements for children with special needs. Resources are also being provided for the development of special care facilities at Killinarden House and Trudder House to cater for ten to 12 out-of-control youngsters.
The Mid-Western Health Board has been given resources for the recruitment of 15 special placement foster families, the provision of special arrangements for out of control children and the development of after care services for children leaving care.
Approval has been given to the North-Eastern and Midland Health Boards to enhance and improve residential services for children and to the North Western Health Board to develop services for difficult adolescents. This includes the appointment of two community based child care workers to assist these children and their families.
The South Eastern Health Board have been given resources for the further development of its foster care services. The additional provisions will enable the board to continue its policy of placing children with challenging behaviour in special fostering arrangements in the first instance, as an alternative to residential care.
Approval has been given to the Southern Health Board for the development of special care arrangements in order to cater for the needs of out of control children. The board is also proceeding with the development of a new assessment service for children to ensure that the individual needs of children are clearly identified and appropriately addressed. New residential facilities in Tralee and Killarney, and a unit to cater for eight girls in Cork, have also been approved.
The Western Health Board has been given resources to enhance its residential care services for adolescents, including the provision of a purpose-built residential unit in Salthill, and the development of after care support services for children leaving care.