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Children in Care

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 23 October 2012

Tuesday, 23 October 2012

Questions (581)

Patrick Nulty

Question:

581. Deputy Patrick Nulty asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the current number of children in detention in the UK, Nebraska and any other locations outside the State, in specialised units as a result of High Court Detention Orders; if he will provide an update on the progress made in ensuring that sufficient places will be made available urgently here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46470/12]

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Written answers

Under the Child Care Act, 1991, the Health Service Executive has a duty to promote the welfare of children who are not receiving adequate care or protection. The policy of the HSE is to place children in care settings, preferably in foster care, as close as possible to their home and community. There were 6,258 children in the care of the state in July 2012, the vast majority of whom were in foster care (5,739) and general residential care (339).

A very small minority of young people under 18 years of age have highly specialised needs arising from severe behaviour difficulties, due to their childhood experiences or in some cases as a result of injury, accident or disability. The care needs of these young people are generally met by directly provided residential services or services commissioned by the HSE within Ireland.

For this small number of young people, the HSE is on occasion, in exceptional cases, required to make arrangements for their placement in care and treatment facilities outside of the State, primarily in the UK, to allow for access to an individually tailored mix of care and highly-specialised therapeutic services and psychiatric treatment not available in this country. This is done on as infrequent a basis as possible and only where such placement is considered to be in the best interest of the child. These placements are made in line with the HSE National Protocol for Special Arrangements and are made under the order and supervision of the High Court.

The HSE has advised me that as of 22 October 2012, there were seven young people detained in out of State secure placements. Four young people are placed in St. Andrews, Northampton; two young people are placed in Kibble in Scotland; one young person is placed in Boystown Nebraska.

Where children are placed abroad they remain in the care of the State, they have an allocated social worker who visits them in their placement, they have a care plan and this is reviewed within the statutory framework. All units in which children are placed are subject to the regulatory and inspection framework of that jurisdiction and HSE Children and Families Services makes itself aware of any reports prior to placing a child abroad. HSE Children and Families Services supports visits from family members to children placed abroad by paying for travel and accommodation costs. The level of requirement for these services is closely monitored by the HSE's National Director for Children and Family Services and my officials.

The HSE has advised that it is currently engaged in a major process of change and improvement for Children and Family Social Services. Part of this work includes improvement in the areas of management, development and the provision of National High Support and Special Care Services and the future direction these services should take. Plans are in place to increase the number of special care places in Ireland and it is envisaged that by 2015, there will be 35 places available.

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