I propose to take Questions Nos. 159 to 162, inclusive, together.
The HSE compiles monthly performance reports which include statistics in relation to children in care. These reports are published on the HSE website. The latest figures published show that in September 2013:
- there were 38 (10.6% of children in residential care) children aged 12 or under placed in residential care;
- the total number of children in care who have an allocated social worker is 5,943 (91.9%), of whom 5,467 are in foster care (general/relative), 315 are in residential care, 23 are in special care, 15 are in high support care and 123 are in other care placements;
- the number of children in care who have a written care plan is 5,679.
There were 159 and 172 children who had more than 3 care placements in 2011 and 2012 respectively. In 2010, placements for children in Ireland were substantially more stable than for children in care in England and Wales, as evidenced by comparisons made by the HSE in its Review of Adequacy Report 2011. In 2010, 2.9% of children in care had 3 or more placements, compared to 10.7% and 10.3% of children in care in England and Wales respectively during the same period. As this is an annual metric only reported at year end, the figure for 2013 will not be available till March/April 2014.