Frances Fitzgerald
Question:99 Ms Fitzgerald asked the Minister for Health and Children the number of children, currently homeless in the Dublin area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17871/00]
Written Answers. - Homeless Persons.
It is recognised that the problem of homeless young people under the age of 18 is most acute in the Eastern Regional Health Authority area. Based on information received from the authority it is estimated that at least 400 young people are out of home in any one year.
In general, when homeless young people come to the attention of the area health boards, every effort is made to reunite them with their families or to arrange to have them placed in foster care or residential care as appropriate. Social work support, advice, information and counselling to include counselling for families and individuals is offered.
A range of services are provided in the Eastern Regional Health Authority area including supported lodgings for approximately 200 placements, emergency carers providing special fostering for young people in crisis, hostels, emergency accommodation, day services, for example, St. Vincent's Trust (training) and outreach programmes. An additional £1 million was provided in 1999 for special initiatives involving the voluntary sector to tackle youth homelessness. These initiatives include a residential service, a night reception centre and an after care service with the Salvation Army, an after care service with Don Bosco, a day reception programme with Focus Ireland, transitional care for homeless girls with Focus Ireland and residential care for children under 16 with St. Jude's Trust for Homeless Children.
The Eastern Regional Health Authority has identified young people out of home as one of the key issues it has to address. The authority launched an action plan to tackle youth homelessness in April this year in response to the report of the forum on youth homelessness. The plan includes: the provision of multi-disciplinary teams to target young people at risk and/or out of home; funding for a new centre for young people who are out of home and abusing drugs; opening a number of local residential centres; contracting of GPs to provide primary health care services for young people who are out of home; specific assignment of psychological and psychiatric service to this group; increased access to drug treatment centres; expansion of aftercare services; commissioning of database to track progress of young people; evaluation of crisis intervention service and out of hours service; and the establishment of a provider forum.
My Department has provided £1.5 million to the authority for the implementation of the first phase of the plan this year.
My Department is currently preparing a national strategy on youth homelessness. It aims to set out a framework for a more strategic and planned approach to address youth homelessness. Work on the plan is proceeding as quickly as possible with view to being finalised by the end of the summer.