Question:
148 Mr. Coveney asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will give a timeframe within which his proposals to combat youth homelessness will be fully implemented. [24501/00]
Written Answers. - National Youth Homeless Strategy.
It is recognised that the problem of youth homelessness is most acute in the Dublin area. Youth homelessness is also a significant issue in Cork and Limerick.
In general, when homeless children and young people come to the attention of a health board every effort is made to reunite them with their family or have them placed in foster or residential care as appropriate. Social work support, advice, information, financial support and counselling and mediation for families and individuals is offered. Since this Government came to office in 1997 an additional allocation of approximately £60 million revenue on an annualised basis has been invested in the development of child care and family support services including youth homelessness services.
The Eastern Regional Health Authority, which is the statutory body with responsibility for health and social services for people who live in Dublin, Kildare and Wicklow, has identified young people who are out of home as one of the key issues it has to tackle.
The Eastern Regional Health Authority and the area boards in the eastern region have made significant progress in implementing the comprehensive package of child care and youth homeless service developments agreed with the Minister for Health and Children last July. This includes (1) the establishment of a provider forum on youth homelessness which brings together key service providers in the youth homelessness field; (2) the appointment of a director of homelessness to the Authority who will be working in the provider forum to develop a calendar plan to urgently address the needs of young people in a comprehensive and co-ordinated way; (3) the recruitment of a significant number of additional project workers, family support workers and out-reach workers, which is well advanced; (4) the appointment of an additional assistant chief executive officer to each area health board to lead the development process; and (5) each area board has carried out a review of existing facilities and properties have been sourced to provide additional hostel-residential care accommodation.
Work on the national youth homeless strategy is progressing and I hope to launch it later this year.