Vol. 519 No. 3
183 Ms M. McGennis asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will bring to the attention of the Interdepartmental Committee dealing with fostering the need to make provision for the payment of foster allowances to grandparents who are caring for their grandchildren in what is effectively a foster role. [13891/00]
Section 41 of the Child Care Act, 1991, and the Child Care (Placement of Children with Relatives) Regulations, 1995, provide for the placement of a child coming into care with relatives of the child by the health board. The relatives receive the same allowances and are entitled to apply for the same discretionary payments from a health board as foster carers with whom children are placed under the terms of the 1991 Act and the Child Care (Placement of Children in Foster Care) Regulations, 1995. In accordance with the regulations the relatives have to apply to the health board and undergo an assessment similar to that which is undertaken by foster carers.
The issue of allowances and discretionary payments has been raised by the Irish Foster Care Association in recent times and it is one of the issues that is being addressed by the working group on foster care which is due to report later this year. The current level of foster care allowances is £60.25 per week for children under twelve and £73.75 per week for children over twelve. These are due to be increased in July in line with the social welfare increases announced in the budget. An additional increase will also be given in respect of children under 12. In addition, foster parents receive a Christmas bonus in line with social welfare recipients, and a special additional payment of £100 was made in respect of each child in care last Christmas, including foster children and those placed with relatives.
