Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 16 October 2014
145. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs further to Parliamentary Question No. 627 of 1 July 2014, the number of children in custody in children detention schools; the percentage of those children with assigned social workers; and the percentage of those children who have been subject of a recent care order. [39626/14]
View answerThe Irish Youth Justice Service (IYJS), which is based in my Department, continues to work to progress its goal to strengthen and develop its evidence base in order to support more effective policies and services for children in conflict with the law, which is one of the goals of the current Youth Justice Action Plan for the period 2014-2018. The IYJS continues to collect and develop information on children admitted to the children detention schools with regard to their involvement with social workers and/or the care system.
I am advised that, in the period 1 July 2014 to 30 September 2014 inclusive, a total of 80 children have been sent to the children detention schools, either being remanded in custody or serving a sentence of detention.
It is known that of this group of 80 children, a total of 34 of them had an assigned social worker, representing 43% of the total.
Of the group of 34 children with an assigned social worker, 12 have been the subject of a recent care order under the Child Care Acts, representing 35% of the total of this group.
Overall, 13 of the total of 80 children sent to the children detention schools in this period have been the subject of a recent care order under the Child Care Acts, representing 16% of the overall total.
