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Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 2 Nov 1999

Vol. 509 No. 6

Written Answers. - Adoption Services.

Seán Power

Question:

381 Mr. Power asked the Minister for Health and Children the reason for the delay within the Eastern Health Board in assessing couples who have applied for foreign adoptions; how this compares with other health board areas; the plans, if any, he has to reduce the time it takes to be assessed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21641/99]

The publication of the recent report Towards a Standardised Framework of Assessment Procedures in Inter-country Adoption has been part of the Government's recognition of, and response to, the delays being experienced in the provision of adoption assessments for couples throughout the country. I referred in detail in the House on 19 October last to the context of the commissioning of the consultancy study on inter-country adoption assessment; the Government decision following the completion of the report; and the ongoing developments in relation to the inter-country adoption services arising from the recommendations contained in the report.

The report outlines the increase in interest in inter-country adoption since the late 1980s and the resultant increase in the number of couples seeking declarations of suitability from the Adoption Board which will allow them to adopt abroad. The number of declarations granted in 1998 was 206 compared with four in 1991. The assessment itself is carried out by the appropriate health board or adoption agency on behalf of the Adoption Board. Clearly, an increase of this magnitude has stretched existing resources in all of the board areas.
The report also includes details of the levels of demand and outputs for each health board area. The tables attached have been extracted from the report. It may be seen from these data that demand is greatest in the Eastern and Southern Health Board areas. The implementation group established to plan, prioritise and cost the recommendations contained in the report is currently seeking an update of the waiting list situation in each of the boards. As soon as this detail becomes available I will have it forwarded to the Deputy.
Table 1 : The Difference Between Applications Received and Processed in 1998

Health Board

No. of 1st applications received

No. of 2nd applications received

TotalReceived

No. Processed to Completion

Difference

EHB

266

42

308

69

239

MHB

24

1

25

12

13

MWHBinclusive of St. Catherine's

28

5

33

16

17

NEHB

61

0

61

18

43

NWHBinclusive of St. Muras

45

1

46

9

37

SEHB

22

2

24

25

1

SHB

142

7

149

28

121

WHB

30

0

30

18

12

PACT

2

1

3

3

0

Total

620

60

680

198

491

(PACT = Protestant Adoption Society)
Table 2 : Average Allocations and Outputs per Worker

Health Board

No. of 1st applications processed to completion

No. of2nd applications processed to completion

Total processed to completion

Estimated Number of workers at mid 1998*

Approx. notional ratios of Output/Worker

Applications allocated to workers

Allocation rate/ worker in 1998

EHB

58

11

69

5.5

13

123

22

MHB

11

1

17

1.3

13

16

12

MWHB** inclusive of St. Catherine's

13

2

15

1.5

9

8

5

NEHB

14

4

18

1.5

12

38

25

NWHB ** inclusive of St. Muras

9

0

9

0.5†

17

28

28

SEHB

23

2

25

1.5

17

30

20

SHB

24

4

28

3

9

41

14

WHB

13

5

18

1.25

14

23

18

PACT

3

0

3

Total

169

29

198

17.55

11

307

17

(PACT = Protestant Adoption Society)
*this figure is an estimate based on the numbers of posts and the per cent of time which workers estimate they give to ICA.
**includes adjustment for workers in Adoption Agencies who provide services in association with the health board.
†8 of the 9 cases completed by one worker who spent 50 per cent of time on ICA.
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