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Child Care Reports

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 7 May 2013

Tuesday, 7 May 2013

Questions (357, 358)

Pearse Doherty

Question:

357. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she has considered the findings of the child law project report which indicates that children in County Donegal are ten times more likely to be put into State care; her views on the report; the plans in place to ensure that there are appropriate facilities in place for the children concerned; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21114/13]

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Pearse Doherty

Question:

358. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she has considered the findings of the child law project report which indicates that children in County Donegal are ten times more likely to be put into State care; her views on the findings; the plans put in place by her to reduce this figure; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21118/13]

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Written answers

I propose to take Questions Nos. 357 and 358 together.

The Child Care Law Reporting Project (CCLRP) is an independent project established under Section 3 of the Child Care (Amendment) Act 2007, in accordance with the Regulations made under that Act, with the support of the One Foundation, Atlantic Philanthropies and the Department of Children and Youth Affairs. The aims and objectives of the project are to:

- Provide information to the public on child care proceedings in the courts;

- Conduct research on these proceedings in order to promote debate and inform policy-makers;

- Make recommendations to address any short-comings in the child care system identified by the research;

- Assist in the implementation of these recommendations;

- Promote confidence in the child care system.

The project pursues its aims and objectives by attending the courts where child care cases are heard in order to report on those proceedings while protecting the anonymity of the children and their families, in accordance with a Protocol drawn up by its Director. The CCLRP will publish reports of child care cases for the public and all relevant stake-holders at a frequency and in a form to be determined by the Director. It will also collect and analyse data from the proceedings, publish reports on the nature and outcomes of the child care proceedings and promote a public debate on the issues raised through seminars and conferences.

The project is in its early stages and it would be unwise to reach any firm conclusions based on the very limited information available at this stage. The CCLRP is scheduled to run for five years to seek to determine a range of issues such as that mentioned by the Deputy. Officials from my Department are in touch with the project team and I understand that the intention is for the project to publish its first interim overview report in Autumn 2013. At this time it may be possible to identify any emerging issues requiring policy consideration.

I am not entirely clear as to the origin of the figures quoted by the Deputy. However I can confirm that Court Services statistics indicate that 2 Care Orders and 22 Interim Care Orders were granted in Donegal in 2011. The HSE's Review of Adequacy Report for the same period indicates that the total number of children in care in Donegal in 2011 was 161 (2.6% of child population). This figure is broadly in line with percentages in other parts of the country.

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