Vol. 558 No. 3
149 Mr. McGuinness asked the Minister for Health and Children the procedure in place within the SEHB area to monitor child care facilities in the region; if children in the care of the SEHB are referred to recognised child care units only; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24179/02]
Under the Child Care Act, 1991 the health boards can place a child with a foster carer, place a child in a residential child care unit or make such other suitable arrangements for the child as the health board considers appropriate.
The monitoring of child care residential facilities in the South East region is, in the first instance, the responsibility of the South-Eastern Health Board. A child care quality assurance officer was appointed by the board in April 2002. This officer has responsibility for monitoring and quality assuring child care residential facilities in the south east region in accordance with standard 3 of the National Standards for Children's Residential Centres. In addition child care residential units operated by non-statutory organisations are inspected by the health board and units operated directly by the health board are inspected by the Social Services Inspectorate.
The health board advises me that alternative care placements are used following an assessment of the needs of individual children and of the capacity of the care settings to meet these needs. In placing children in alternative care settings the health board complies with the requirements of the Child Care Regulations of 1995.
