Vol. 536 No. 5
66 Mr. Callely asked the Minister for Health and Children the number of couples on waiting lists to adopt a child; if he will give a breakdown of the waiting lists for each health board area for home adoptions and intercountry adoptions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14537/01]
179 Mr. Callely asked the Minister for Health and Children the assessment period for couples wishing to adopt a child; the average period of time involved when a couple makes initial application to be considered for adoption and if approved, to the placement of a child in their care; if there is variance in the periods of time from application to placement in the regions around the country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14600/01]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 66 and 179 together.
The situation regarding waiting times for assessment for domestic adoption and intercountry adoption are very different and I will deal with them separately.
The number of domestic adoptions, other than family adoptions, has decreased enormously in recent years, from a high of 1,287 in 1975 to only 90 adoption orders in 1999 in respect of children placed with families by adoption agencies. In some cases an adoption agency might only place two or three children in one year.
Agencies generally assess a small number of couples based on their estimate of the number of children likely to become available for adoption but there is no guarantee that a couple on the domestic waiting list will ever have a child placed with them. The health boards normally advise couples that they may like to opt for intercountry adoption instead.
The number of applications for assessment for intercountry adoptions has been increasing steadily over the past five years. In 1998 and 1999, there were respectively 680 and 623 applications. In 2000, however, the number was 1,045, which is a 68% increase.
In view of the difficulties being experienced by couples wishing to be assessed for suitability to adopt from abroad, significant funding was provided to the boards to help them provide a speedier, more efficient service. In 1999 and 2000, £1 million in total additional funding was allocated, and provision for an additional £360,000 has been made available in this year's Estimates. In addition, last year I launched a standardised framework for assessment which is now being used in all health boards to streamline the assessment process and to provide a more transparent system. That has resulted in a reduction of waiting times in all boards. The waiting time for first time assessment in the ERHA stood at 36 to 42 months at the end of June 2000, and I understand from the authority that by the end of December it had fallen to 18 to 24 months.
The assessment and waiting times vary across the boards. The information provided by the boards indicates that waiting times in the Eastern Regional Health Authority are 18 to 24 months, in the Mid-Western Health Board they are 18 months, in the South Eastern Health Board they are 12 to 14 months, in the Southern Health Board they are 14 to 16 months, in the NEHB they are eight to ten months, in the Midland Health Board they are 12 to 25 months, and in the North Western Health Board and the Western Health Board they are only six to eight months.
Because assessments must be carried out by qualified social workers, the numbers of those have increased from 17.5 full-time equivalents in 1988 to a current high of 42 but I am aware that the health boards are having difficulty filling their full complement and a recommendation of the National Social Workers Qualifications Board has been taken on board this year where extra places will be provided in the training colleges over the next few years.
I thank the Minister of State for her reply. The Minister mentioned the waiting times for assessment. Is she aware that, particularly in relation to intercountry adoptions, persons who have already adopted one child and have been assessed have to go through the whole procedure again from start to finish? That puts a major gap between children who are available for adoption and loving parents who have been found to be suitable in carrying through the adoption. Will the Minister of State ensure, taking into account the need to protect the child's interests in particular, that there is no unnecessary bureaucratic duplication in the way the whole process of intercountry assessment is carried out?
Of the 1,045 I mentioned, 107 of those are people awaiting second assessment so we have arranged that persons applying for a second assessment would be fast-tracked and that each social worker who is undertaking first assessments will also undertake a number of second assessments so that those couples do not have to wait an unduly long time.
We saw recently in both England and America the case of children who were bought on the Internet. What is the Government doing to ensure that could not happen here? We saw what happened in that case in terms of court cases. Two beautiful children were displayed on television and elsewhere. I want to know what the Government is doing to ensure that could not happen here because it was outrageous to see children being bought. What action has the Minister of State taken in recent months since that happened?
Like everybody here, we abhor any practice which would involve the sale of children on the Internet or otherwise. We are satisfied that our tight legislation, coupled with our strict customs procedures and observance, will mean that children cannot be bought over the airwaves, cannot be given to couples who have not been assessed and cannot be registered here by the Adoption Board so that the rights of the children are protected here. Obviously it is something we are keeping constantly under review and it is an area which will be strengthened when we ratify the Hague Convention. I propose to take the heads of a Bill in relation to that matter to Government shortly.
On the Hague Convention and the matter mentioned by Deputy Ring, has that issue been discussed in recent times at European Union level by Ministers for Health or is it simply an Irish review that has taken place?
There have been various conferences of EurAdopt in countries that are involved in intercountry adoption. These issues have been discussed at those conferences and standards and procedures drawn up which are being incorporated into our legislation and into guidelines being drawn up currently by the Adoption Board.
