Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 11 Nov 1999

Vol. 510 No. 5

Written Answers. - Inter-country Adoptions.

Eamon Gilmore

Question:

35 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Health and Children the steps, if any, being taken to reduce waiting times for assessment for inter-country adoptions in the Eastern Health Board area; the plans, if any, he has to allow the licensing of private agencies to help ease the burden and reduce waiting times; if the number of countries from which Irish couples may adopt children will not be restricted under the legislation to give effect to the Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22852/99]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Cowen):

I have referred in detail in the House to the publication of the report "Towards a Standardised Framework on Inter-country 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. 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.

In addition to the funding allocated to each of the health boards, a working group has been established and has begun the work of prioritising and planning implementation of the report's recommendations. This includes prioritising training in the standardised framework through the provision of a seminar to all workers in ICA before the end of the year; the commissioning of a detailed training manual for all stages of the framework; as well as back-up documentation for prospective adoptive parents. Based on the increase in staff assigned to inter-country adoption assessment, as well as the introduction of standardised framework model, it is hoped that there will be significant improvement in the number of assessments being completed by health boards during the year 2000.

The approach to adoptions from non-convention countries is still under consideration in the Department. It is not the intention to exclude any countries with which we already have agreements or working arrangements in place which uphold the spirit and principles of the convention. However, the primary objectives of the convention are to provide safeguards to prevent the abduction or the sale of children and to establish a system of co-operation amongst countries in order to ensure that inter-country adoptions take place in the best interests of the children concerned. Therefore, a child-centred approach incorporating structures and procedures which accord with good practice in inter-country adoption is being taken to the preparation of the legislation.