Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 6 November 2014
138. Deputy David Stanton asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs when a response will issue to correspondence initially sent to his Department on 24 April 2014, further to a commitment given during a Topical Issue debate on 25 March 2014 regarding post-adoption services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42674/14]
View answerA response to the correspondence mentioned in the Deputy question has issued.
Under adoption legislation, when a child is registered on the Register of Intercountry Adoptions the child is deemed to be the fully legal child of the adoptive parent/couple, having the same legal status as any biological child of the couple born to them within their marriage. Accordingly, it is open to any adopted child to access Child & Adolescent Mental Health Services operated by the Tusla - the Child and Family Agency. The type of service provided is then dependent on the individual needs of the child and is resource dependent.
The Minister notes the comments made by his predecessor in relation to interaction with Barnardos regarding post adoption service provision and training in that regard. As you are aware the Child and Family Agency has responsibility for service provision in this regard and the Minister has asked that your view on this matter be brought to the attention of the Agency.
