Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 14 Nov 2000

Vol. 525 No. 5

Written Answers. - Children in Care.

Róisín Shortall

Question:

277 Ms Shortall asked the Minister for Health and Children the current number of places in high support units; the total number of places planned for each kind of unit; if he will provide a breakdown of such placements by gender; if he will provide a breakdown of places, current and planned, in each health board area; whether such placements are open to all health boards or are designated to certain boards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25710/00]

Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children (Ms Hanafin)

Health boards have increased the number of high support and special care places for children in need of special care or protection from a total of 17 in 1996 to a current total of 74 which are broken down as follows:

Health Board	Places	Gender
Eastern Region	22	Mixed*
MHB	2	Mixed
MWHB	10	5 Mixed, 5 Boys
NEHB	5	Mixed
NWHB	–	–
SEHB	20	5 Boys, 5 Girls, 10 Mixed
SHB	15	Girls**
WHB	–	–

*Includes 8 places in the new special care unit in Ballydowd which is being opened on a phased basis.

**Includes 7 places in the Gleann Alainn special care unit which is a regional facility for the southern region including the SHB; SEHB and MWHB and 8 places at the high support Loughmahon Unit which is being opened on a phased basis.

Plans are under way to develop an additional 74 places nationally as follows.

In the eastern region, the balance of the 16 places in the Ballydowd special care unit will be opened over the next few months. Also the construction of a high support facility providing 24 places at Portrane has commenced. It is anticipated that this unit will be ready by autumn 2001. These units will operate on a mixed basis.

The Midland Health Board, the North Eastern Heath Board, the North Western Heath Board and the Western Heath Board are co- operating to provide 12 high support places on a single campus. This unit will operate as a mixed unit.

Places being developed in the other boards are as follows: ten high support places, five for girls and five mixed, and a special care facility with five places for adolescent boys in the Mid-Western Heath Board which will act as a regional facility for the southern region, ( that is, the SHB, SEHB and MWHB); five high support places for boys in the Southern Health Board.

These places are due to become available by the end of 2001.

In addition, two high support places will be opened on a phased basis in the North Eastern Health Board over the next few months.

Special arrangements for individual children will continue to be provided and this will bring the total number of places available to about 160.

I should add that it has been agreed that because of pressures on health boards, the special care unit at Ballydowd can be used to accommodate children from outside the ERHA area as an interim measure pending the completion of the national programme of high support and special care units.