Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 6 Jun 1996

Vol. 466 No. 5

Written Answers. - Homeless Children.

Noel Treacy

Question:

25 Mr. N. Treacy asked the Minister for Health the number of homeless children currently being housed in hospitals in view of a lack of accommodation; the plans, if any, he has to resolve this unsatisfactory situation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11756/96]

Minister of State at the Department of Health (Mr. Currie)

The Eastern Health Board is the only board currently providing emergency accommodation for children in hospitals. At present six children are placed in hospital accommodation in the region.

The Deputy will be aware that I do not favour the use of hospital accommodation for this purpose. However, when small children are placed in the care of the board it is often necessary to refer them to hospital for assessment and/or treatment. When this assessment is completed, it is not always possible to find an immediate suitable placement for the children.

Equally, when small children are referred in an emergency or crisis and no suitable alternative placement is available either in a children's residential centre or with foster parents, it has sometimes been found necessary to place the children in hospital.

I am concious that this is not the ideal situation. The Eastern Health Board are taking all possible steps to provide suitable alternative accommodation, in particular the board is expanding its crisis intervention service which deals with children who need emergency placement out of hours. A residential unit for children under 12 years of age and two additional emergency units for older children are being provided, and a major recruitment campaign for additional foster parents was launched in May and it is hoped to assign a number of newly recruited foster parents to provide emergency short-term places.

I am hopeful that when these additional facilities come fully on stream, the use of hospital accommodation in these circumstances will be eliminated.