Paul Bradford
Question:32 Mr. Bradford asked the Minister for Health and Children the steps he is taking to reduce waiting lists for overseas adoptions. [12594/02]
Written Answers. - Inter-Country Adoptions.
Austin Currie
Question:90 Mr. Currie asked the Minister for Health and Children his plans to recruit the social worker necessary in order to ensure a reduction in the waiting list for assessment for inter-country adoption; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12810/02]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 32 and 90 together.
I am very concerned that applicants should not experience excessive delays when they apply for inter-country adoption assessment. In the last four years a number of improvements have been put in place to facilitate couples who wish to adopt children from abroad. These include a standardised framework for inter-country adoption assessment was introduced to streamline assessments and to provide a transparent system centred on the child's best interests and respectful to all the parties involved. This includes a Guide for Practitioners on the assessment process which was prepared by British Agencies for Adoption and Fostering, BAAF, international leaders in the field. The framework, which is being used in all health boards, has been welcomed by the boards and couples; €2,101,000 or £1,655,000 additional funding has been provided nationally to reduce the time spent by couples on the waiting lists. This additional funding has been targeted at recruitment of social work and administrative staff and the implementation of the standardised framework; working agreements have been made with China, Thailand, Belarus and the Philippines; legislation is being prepared to ratify the Hague Convention on the Protection of Children and Co-operation in respect of Intercountry Adoption 1993; and the recommendations of the organisation and management review of the Adoption Board are currently being implemented.
I am particularly concerned about the delays being experienced by applicants for inter-country adoption assessment in the Eastern Regional Health Authority, ERHA. Delays have arisen over the past few years because of an increased interest in inter-country adoption and difficulties being experienced in the ERHA region in recruiting social workers. For the past two years I have worked closely with various groups involved in this area in an effort to provide a better service. I accept that the shortage in social workers is leading to intolerable delays for couples who have already experienced a lot of personal trauma.
Efforts are being made to deal with the current shortage of social workers by recruiting internationally and by increasing the number of training places nationally. Approximately 30 additional social work training places have been created since October 2001 and it is planned to increase the number of places by in excess of 85 to be phased in from 2002.
Almost €830,000, or £653,000, of the additional funding provided over the last four years for the service has been provided to the ERHA. Extra administrative personnel and office facilities have been provided to free up social workers to concentrate on assessments and to reduce travelling time. Because of the recruitment problems only 11.5 whole time equivalent of the 20 whole time equivalent social work posts which have been funded by my Department to carry out assessments are actually in place.
I have previously written to all other health boards asking them to assist the ERHA in reducing their waiting lists and I again asked them for their help at the Conference on inter-country adoption – Sharing Best Practice, which I attended recently. Some boards have said they were in a position to help with preparation courses and this offer is being acted upon.
I have also put the ERHA in touch with the British Agencies for Adoption and Fostering, BAAF, with a view to seeing if they are in a position to assist the ERHA in carrying out inter-country adoption assessments.
The ERHA is establishing two new assessment units in the East Coast and Northern Area Health Boards to supplement the service for the region which is currently being provided by the South-Western Area Health Board, and I understand that three new social workers are likely to be in place by June 2002. The restructuring of the service will take place on a phased basis when the additional staff have come on board. A customer services officer to provide an improved information service is also being appointed.
I can assure the Deputies of my personal commitment to this issue and my desire that the resources allocated to the ERHA and other boards should be used to reduce waiting times for couples who wish to adopt children from abroad.