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Foster Care Policy

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 18 September 2013

Wednesday, 18 September 2013

Questions (1269)

Catherine Murphy

Question:

1269. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the average age of successful foster carer applicants when first fostering for each Health Service Executive region; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38760/13]

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Written answers

All prospective foster carers or applicants undergo an assessment and training process to establish their suitability and competence as future foster carers. The assessment is undertaken by a social worker from the local fostering team and includes Garda vetting, internal HSE checks to establish previous involvement with child protection services, a medical assessment, personal interviews in the applicant’s home and if the applicant(s) have children, the social worker will also talk to them about being part of a foster family. The social worker's report is then presented to the Foster Care committee for approval, including a recommendation as to the age of the child and type of foster care suitable to the applicant(s). All approved foster carers are entered on a panel of approved foster carers.

The HSE has advised me that data on the average age of foster carers is not collected. The HSE national policy recommends that there should be no more than a forty year age gap between prospective carers and the children to be placed with them. As applicants should be of sufficient maturity to take on the responsibility of foster care, it is recommended that a lower age limit of 25 years should apply.

Exceptions can be made, for example, where there is an established attachment between the child and carer, as is often the case in relative care and in conversion from short-term to long-term fostering, in the case of sibling groups or for other clinical considerations. Exceptions can also be made for relative carers who may be in a position to care for a younger sibling. The paramount consideration is the interests of the child balanced with the likelihood of the applicant being in a position to provide good foster care as outlined in the criteria for acceptance.

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