Frances Fitzgerald
Question:428 Ms Fitzgerald asked the Minister for Health and Children the waiting times for assessments for foreign adoption in the Eastern Regional Health Authority; and the action he intends to take in this regard. [21086/01]
Written Answers. - Foreign Adoptions.
Seán Power
Question:429 Mr. Power asked the Minister for Health and Children the plans he has to improve the foreign adoption assessment process and to reduce delays in the adoption process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21090/01]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 428 and 429 together.
Waiting times for assessment for intercountry adoption in the Eastern Regional Health Authority, ERHA, have been a source of concern to me since I took up office. I am very conscious of the need to reduce time spent by couples on waiting lists for such assessments. The number of applications for assessment has been increasing steadily over the last five years. A standardised framework for intercountry adoption assessment procedures is now being used in all health boards. The purpose is to streamline assessment processes so that resources are used effectively and to provide a transparent system that can be understood by all of the parties. The framework has been welcomed by both health boards and couples. Over the past three years I have allocated additional funding of over £550,000, or 698,356, aimed at reducing time spent on waiting lists by couples awaiting intercountry adoption assessment in the ERHA.
I understand from the ERHA that the additional funding it received has enabled a number of initiatives to take place that were aimed at reducing the projected waiting time for assessment. These initiatives have included the introduction of a one-stop-shop facility to increase capacity for holding office based interviews and reduce the time that social workers spend travelling to and from client visits. The assignment of new administrative personnel in 2000 to provide support for social workers with regard to administrative tasks. This has freed social workers to concentrate on assessments, post placement reports and other appropriate work. At the end of June 2001, the ERHA indicated that the projected waiting time for assessments was 18 months. However, over the past few months the number of social workers working in the service has reduced due to resignations and it is reasonable to assume that this has had a negative impact on waiting times.
Discussions have been ongoing with the ERHA on further measures to address the problem. The authority has now decided that new units will be established in the Northern and East Coast Area Health Boards and that the present service will become the unit for the South-Western Health Board. The arrangements for devolving this service are currently under negotiation with all three area health boards with the intention of having the new services fully operational by March 2002. The existing service in the South-Western Health Board will continue to work its way through the list as before until the new services are set up. I understand that applicants will be kept informed of new developments in the service as they occur and of the progress of their application.