Chris Flood
Question:39 Mr. Flood asked the Minister for Health the initiatives, if any, being taken to meet the needs of the young homeless; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7883/97]
Vol. 476 No. 7
39 Mr. Flood asked the Minister for Health the initiatives, if any, being taken to meet the needs of the young homeless; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7883/97]
Limerick East): As I have previously mentioned in the House the extent and nature of the problem of homeless children varies between health boards and between community care areas. It is recognised across the health boards that an integrated range of measures is necessary in order to deal with the problem including early childhood intervention to prevent children at risk from becoming homeless, greater provision of services for families and young people in the community, the provision of suitable and varied accommodation and back-up services for the young homeless and accommodation and support services for children leaving care.
In this regard, health boards are at present undertaking a series of initiatives to address the problem locally and the responses are drawn up with due regard to the particular nature of the problem in the area. The problem is most acute in the Eastern Health Board region. Services introduced by the board to tackle the problem include an emergency short-term residential unit for 12 to 18 year old homeless children opened early in 1996.
Supported lodgings are being developed in all community care areas. There are now 87 approved supported lodging places for adolescents who are out of home. This initiative helps to maintain young people in their area of home origin. The lodgings provide an element of independence to young people but provide support at the same time. This very successful new scheme supported a total of 145 young people in 1996 and provided a total of 17,733 bed nights. A number of hostels provide care for young people who are out of home. An additional adolescent residential unit, under the management of the crisis intervention service is at an advanced stage of development.