Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 12 November 2013
27. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the timeline for the closure of children's high-support units in the State; if capacity at special care units will be further increased to address the shortage of specialised child residential services that will arise with the closure of such units; and the supports that will be provided to children exiting high-support units. [47701/13]
View answerChildren who are unable to live with their parent/s for their welfare and protection are taken into the care of the HSE Child and Family Services and placed mainly in foster care. For a small number of children, residential care is considered the most suitable option to meet their needs. A very small number of children and young children with specialised needs are placed in a High Support or Special Care Unit.
The HSE has advised that Rath na nóg High Support Unit has now closed. One other Unit provides High Support placements, that is Crannóg Nua. This Crannóg Nua unit will cease providing High Support services once the current residents complete their interventions and move on to their next placements. This closure is expected to take place in May 2014. Crannóg Nua will then undergo refurbishment works to bring the standard of the facilities up to the level of security required to provide Special Care services from that location by the end of January 2015. This development will increase Children and Family Services capacity to provide Special Care services on a national basis from seventeen places currently, up to twenty-five by end of Jan 2015. The HSE advise that with the further developments in progress at Crannog Nua and at Gleann Alainn, it is expected that the overall capacity for the provision of Special Care services by Children and Family Services nationally will increase to thirty four places by end 2015.
The HSE is committed to designing and developing a comprehensive continuum of care services to meet the divergent and complex needs of all children in care. The HSE has advised me that it is currently undertaking a national review of all residential care and this will be completed during the first quarter of 2014. The HSE assures me that this review will assist in mapping and reinforcing the various stages along the continuum of residential care provision in the HSE as well as identifying where gaps may exist. A National Director of Residential Services has been appointed to take the review forward and ensure the strategic development of such services with all necessary allied supports necessary.
