Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 27 May 2015
115. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he will provide an update on the implementation of the Ryan report, and in particular the recommendation for a once-off life skills programme for young persons leaving care; if he is satisfied with the rate of progress on implementation of the Ryan report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20892/15]
View answerThe Report of the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse (The Ryan Report) was published in 2009 and detailed disturbing and significant levels of historic abuse of Irish children who were placed, by the State, in residential institutions run by religious orders. The Government accepted all of the recommendations of the Ryan Report, and in response developed an Implementation Plan. The Implementation Plan set out a series of 99 actions which addressed the recommendations to improve services to children in care, in detention and at risk.
The Government has approved the Fourth and Final Monitoring Report of the Ryan Implementation Group which illustrated that the vast majority of the recommendations (i.e. 94 out of a total of 99), have been implemented or are being implemented on an ongoing basis. The Report, which was published in March 2015, is available on the websites of my Department and the Oireachtas. It should also be noted that the Monitoring Group, which authored the Report, welcomed the significant positive developments that have taken place over the lifetime of the Implementation Plan.
I share the concern of the Monitoring Group that five of the actions are incomplete. These incomplete actions are in relation to the erection of a memorial to the survivors of institutional abuse; a longitudinal study of children in care; the maintenance of records of children in care and the development of an archive for same, and research into best practice in family law court processes. As the Government has committed to the full implementation of all 99 of the Implementation Plan actions, I will continue to liaise with relevant Government colleagues and the Child and Family Agency as regards implementation and I have also undertaken to keep the Government informed of progress until full implementation is achieved.
I presume that the Deputy is referring to Action 69 of the Ryan Implementation Plan which states that "the OMCYA, in conjunction with the HSE, will consider how best to provide necessary once-off supports for care leavers to gain practical life-long skills".
Young people leaving the care of the State at 18 years of age are entitled to an aftercare service. Aftercare is the term used to describe the planning and support put in place to meet the needs of such young people to assist them in making the transition to independent living. Aftercare provision incorporates advice, guidance and practical (including accommodation and financial) support. Advocating on behalf of young people to support their development as fulfilled adults in their community and, when necessary, to link them to targeted adult services, are also crucial elements of an aftercare service.
It has been decided to strengthen the legislative provisions regarding aftercare. The Child Care Act 1991 is to be amended to impose a statutory duty on the Child and Family Agency to prepare an aftercare plan for an eligible child or eligible young person. The aim is to create an explicit, as opposed to implicit, statement of the Agency’s duty to satisfy itself as to the child’s or young person’s need for assistance by preparing a plan that identifies those needs for aftercare supports.
It is anticipated that the Aftercare Bill will be published shortly.
