Vol. 481 No. 3
42 Proinsias De Rossa asked the Minister for Health and Children if his attention has been drawn to reports that a shortage of placements has forced Eastern Health Board workers to separate brothers and sisters after taking them into care; the steps, if any, he is taking to ensure the provision of additional foster and residential places; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15929/97]
The report of the Eastern Health Board — IMPACT review group on child care and family support services referred to the separate placement of a number of sibling groups. I have had inquiries made of the Eastern Health Board about this matter and the board has reported that while this may occur from time to time it is its policy to place siblings together and it would be most unusual not to do so.
The report also highlighted the need to create more foster care and residential places and following a recent Eastern Health Board fostering recruitment campaign, which yielded over 60 applications to foster, there is currently a backlog of fostering applications awaiting assessment. While a time-lag in processing applications is inevitable, I am anxious that the current lengthy assessment period for the approval of foster carers be shortened as much as possible and I have asked the board to submit proposals in this regard at an early date.
In addition, I recently met with the chief executive officer of the board to discuss the provision of additional placements for children requiring care. I am happy to report that the board has immediate plans to open a ten bed emergency residential centre for children under 12 years of age. The board also plans to establish an additional ten bed emergency residential centre for children over 12 years of age who are out of home. Also, up to ten out-of-hours emergency carer families will be brought on stream during 1997. These will be available to provide emergency care for children during the out-of-hours period. I am confident that these measures will help to alleviate the situation.
