Vol. 510 No. 2
113 Cecilia Keaveney asked the Minister for Health and Children the number of couples awaiting assessment by the Eastern Health Board for a foreign adoption; the number of assessments being carried out per month; and when this backlog of applications will be dealt with. [22144/99]
I have referred in detail, in the House, to the publication of the report "Towards a Standardised Framework on Intercountry Adoption Assessment". This report was commissioned in light of the huge increase in demand and resultant lengthy waiting times for assessment being experienced in all of the health board areas.
Following publication of the report, additional funding was allocated to health boards in respect of inter-country adoption assessment in 1999 on the basis of the waiting lists in December 1998. On this basis the Eastern Health Board received a sum of £213,000 in 1999. The board has advised of its proposals to recruit five additional social workers, some additional clerical support as well as funding towards improved office interview facilities. This will increase the complement of social work staff from nine to 14. These additional social workers are being recruited from an existing panel and appointed directly to the inter-country adoption services in the board. Their appointments have been prioritised in the board and are being processed as a matter of urgency. It should be noted that the waiting times in the board have been exacerbated by difficulties in the recruitment and retention of social workers in this area of work, particularly given the adverse media attention.
There were 339 couples awaiting assessment at the end of October. Each social worker carrying out assessments carries an ongoing caseload of 12 applications. On average, eight reports are presented to the placement committee per month. In addition to the recruitment of new staff, the board has also taken a number of initiatives to improve the service to applicants for inter country adoption which will assist in reducing both the waiting period for assessment to commence and the assessment process itself. These measures include a maximum of ten hours contact during assessment, interviewing one referee only and the introduction of a feedback mechanism and a quality assurance system.
