Thomas P. Broughan
Question:746. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs further to Parliamentary Question No. 323 of 16 July 2014, if the report referred to in the reply is now to hand. [34343/14]
View answerWednesday, 17 September 2014
Questions (746)
Written answers
Under the Child Care Act, 1991 and the Child and Family Agency Act 2013, the Child and Family Agency has a duty to promote the welfare of children who are not receiving adequate care or protection. The policy of the Agency is to place children in care settings, preferably in foster care, as close as possible to their home and community.
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 Agency within Ireland.
For a small number of young people, the Agency is on occasion 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 therapeutic services and psychiatric treatment not currently 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. Placements where a child will be detained are made under the order and supervision of the High Court.
The Agency ensure that these placements are suitable and the child's social worker visits regularly and makes arrangements for family or carers of the child to also visit.
The units in which the children are placed are inspected and regulated by their national authorities and the Agency is attentive to the standards of care delivered in these specialised units. The level of requirement for these services is closely monitored by the Agency. I have been advised by the Agency that the average weekly cost of a single placement for a child placed in a residential setting outside the State as of 31 July 2014 is approximately €6,000. The cost of placements for children on special care orders in secure placements out of State can cost up to €8,500 per week.