Written Answers. - Foreign Adoptions.
John McGuinness
Question:
120
Mr. McGuinness
asked the
Minister for Health and Children
further to Parliamentary Question No. 160 of 23 February 2000, the progress, if any, regarding an application by persons (details supplied) in County Kilkenny to adopt a child from western Russia; if Department officials have met with the board to discuss the delays being experienced regarding inter-country adoption services; and if a report on the matter is available.
[10985/00]
As already advised to the House, following publication of the report "Towards a Standardised Framework for Inter-Country Adoption Assessment Procedures", the South Eastern Health Board decided to carry out a root and branch review of the structuring and operation of adoption services in the region. The review was completed in January 2000. Following completion of the review and a series of inquiries regarding intercountry adoption services in the region, I arranged for officials of my Department to meet South Eastern Health Board management. The meeting took place on 16 March last.
At the meeting the board indicated that steps are being taken to implement recommendations contained in the review of adoption services for the south eastern region and the following developments were outlined.
At the end of January 2000, there were 62 applicants on the waiting list for adoption assessment in the South Eastern Health Board area. It is envisaged that between now and the end of the year, based on current staffing arrangements, 30 assessments will be completed. This board will also be complying with the recommendations of the Adoption Board in relation to the fast tracking of second assessments.
The board has assigned regional responsibility for adoption services to a child care manager. It has begun a recruitment process for additional social work staff and has tentatively agreed an appropriate structure for the adoption team, pending finalisation of the outcome of the recruitment process.
All social workers are taking part in training in Cork at the beginning of April to provide courses for education-preparation stage. The target set is that a training course will take place in each community care area by the end of June 2000. It is envisaged that eight couples will attend a training course in each area. Further training courses will be provided in each community care area between September and December. Therefore, it is envisaged that 64 couples will have participated in the information and training course between now and the end of the year. The remaining couples on the waiting list will attend a training and information course in early 2001.
The board pointed out that once the social workers commence the assessment, these are being completed over a period between six and nine months. In addition, the basic principles of the standardised model are already informing practice at local level.
The South Eastern Health Board and, indeed, some other boards have come under increasing pressure to facilitate the early assessment of couples who claim to have a pre-existing relationship with the foreign child they intend to adopt. In the first instance, two issues must be resolved by the Adoption Board, i.e, the eligibility of the child for adoption and the compatibility of adoption law in the country of origin for the purpose of recognition of the adoption order under the Adoption Act, 1991. In addition, the manner in which the child originally entered the State, if she-he is already resident here, may involve other authorities. Once these issues have been clarified, the individual health board has then to consider the case made.
In this particular case, the board has advised that a completed application was received by the adoption service on 21 December 1999. Currently the couple is 28th on the waiting list for the Carlow-Kilkenny area and those at number six to eight on the list are currently being assessed. The board has advised that it is its current policy that applicants take their place on the waiting list and are assessed as they fall due.
While I am sympathetic to couples facing delays in these circumstances, I consider that health boards and their health professionals are best placed to assess these cases on their merits. In addition, I am satisfied that the board is making considerable efforts to streamline the assessment process and increase the throughput of applications. Together with an increased complement of social workers, these measures should bring about a significant increase in the number of assessments being completed in the south-eastern area in 2000.
