Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 7 May 2003

Vol. 566 No. 1

Written Answers. - Children in Care.

Liz McManus

Question:

483 Ms McManus asked the Minister for Health and Children the number of children under the age of 12 who have been placed in residential homes here over the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11945/03]

Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children (Mr. B. Lenihan)

The Department collects annual figures in relation to children in care through the interim minimum dataset. These figures have been collected annually since 1998.

The information required by the Deputy was not collected in the interim minimum dataset until 2002. Below are the provisional figures for 2002.

	Total Number of Admissions to Care for 2002	Number of Children 0-12 Years of Age Admitted to Care in 2002	Total Number of Children Admitted to Residential Care in 2002	Total Number of Children Admitted to Residential Care 0-12 Years of age in 2002
ERHA	602	374	74	23
MHB	167	144	2	1
MWHB	234	182	22	5
NEHB	121	97	3	1
NWHB	42	35	4	1
SEHB	233	143	52	12
SHB	499	354	32	8
WHB	156	106	20	8
Total	2054	1,435	209	59

For previous years the available information is as follows:

	2001	2000	1999	1998
Total Number of Admissions to Care	2,582	1,731	1,932	2,021
Number of Children 0-12 Years of Age Admitted to Care	1,534	1,206	1,352	1,493
Total Number of Children Admitted to Residential Care	259	214	354	243

Note: 2001 figures include 560 unaccompanied minors-asylum seekers taken into care.

In response to the recent publication of the second annual report of the social services inspectorate, whichinter alia highlighted the young age of some children in residential care, I have urged health boards to ensure that the age of children and the length of placement in residential care are to the forefront as boards plan and review admissions to care for young children for the future. I am pleased to state that last week I launched the national standards for foster care. I am confident that the standards will significantly improve the quality of our foster care services and encourage new foster care applicants thereby reducing the need to place children in residential care.