Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 11 May 2017
1. Deputy Anne Rabbitte asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of young persons under and over 18 years of age that were on a waiting list to access an aftercare worker at the end of 2016 by area, in tabular form; the average length of time a young person spends on the waiting list before gaining access to an aftercare worker; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22522/17]
View answerI wish to ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs about the number of young persons under and over 18 years of age who were on a waiting list to access an aftercare worker at the end of 2016 by area, in tabular form, and the average length of time a young person spends on the waiting list before gaining access to an aftercare worker.
Tusla has informed me that in 2016, a total of 605 young persons left care that year - the reason for this being that they had reached 18 years of age. At the end of 2016, Tusla has indicated that 1,055 young persons in care were aged 16 or 17 years of age. Of these 432 - 41% - had been allocated an aftercare worker. Tusla has advised that it does not collate data on the waiting periods before an aftercare worker has been assigned. I have made the tabular data requested by the Deputy available for inclusion in the record of the House.
Each year, between approximately 500 and 600 young persons will turn 18 years of age while in care. In recent times, I understand that about 75% of 17-year-olds in care were in foster placements while a further 20% approximately were reported to be placed in residential settings. The remaining 5% are in other settings, for example, a disability setting or supported lodgings.
I am conscious that the transition to independent adulthood can be challenging for many young people. This is particularly true for children and young people in care. Planning for leaving care needs to begin in the years prior to leaving care and continue as part of the care planning process. This preparatory work is facilitated by a social worker and is based on collaboration with the young person, their carers and partner agencies. It is specific to the individual young person's needs. During the preparation for leaving care an aftercare worker is introduced to the young person. They are involved in the preparation for the leaving care process. Tusla prioritises children in residential care and short-term foster care for the early allocation of an aftercare worker. Children in long-term foster care with an allocated social worker have their aftercare plan developed with the social worker.
Additional information not given the floor of the House.
If their plan is to remain living with their foster carers, on a case-by-case basis, it may be considered best practice that they would be allocated an aftercare worker when they are in their 17th year. I believe this is a pragmatic approach which matches needs to available resources.
Children 16 and 17 years with an allocated aftercare worker at end December 2016:
|
Area |
Number of 16 and 17 year olds in care |
Number with allocated aftercare worker |
|
Dublin South East-Wicklow |
48 |
33 |
|
Dublin South West-Kildare-West Wicklow |
91 |
31 |
|
Dublin South Central |
62 |
8 |
|
Midlands |
63 |
49 |
|
Dublin North City |
121 |
26 |
|
Dublin North |
56 |
27 |
|
Louth-Meath |
70 |
39 |
|
Cavan-Monaghan |
19 |
10 |
|
Kerry |
24 |
17 |
|
Cork |
143 |
52 |
|
Carlow-Kilkenny-South Tipperary |
70 |
6 |
|
Waterford-Wexford |
59 |
20 |
|
Donegal |
29 |
19 |
|
Sligo-Leitrim-West Cavan |
22 |
22 |
|
Mayo |
20 |
20 |
|
Galway-Roscommon |
63 |
24 |
|
Midwest |
95 |
29 |
|
National Total |
1,055 |
432 |
I thank the Minister for her response. The goal of aftercare was to introduce a statutory duty on Tusla to prepare an aftercare plan for young people. I have been spokesperson for children and youth affairs for 12 months and in those 12 months, I cannot say that I have been convinced that it is being delivered. I have to hand last year's Empowering People in Care, EPIC, report, which spoke about how young people do not get access to aftercare. We do not even collate the data and do not have a proper system for understanding who is being identified as needing these social care workers. There are huge gaps and anomalies. While I appreciate that Tusla is doing its best to organise planning, there is no connectivity between social care workers. Some young people might only meet for the first time the social care worker who is writing their aftercare plan. This sort of engagement is leading to children ending up on council housing waiting lists straight after leaving residential care.
On the Deputy's comments about moving forward, particularly entitlements to aftercare plans for children in care, as she is aware, there are pending amendments to the Child Care Act 1991 that will place a statutory obligation to provide an aftercare plan before the young person leaves care. I intend that this provision will be commenced with effect from 1 September 2017. I have secured the funding needed to recruit additional aftercare workers to enable Tusla to deliver this new commitment in full. In some situations, the child's social worker may continue in the role of an aftercare worker when the child reaches 18 years. My Department working to implement the changes that are needed. There is no doubt that improvements are needed and I intend to ensure that they happen.
Hearing that funding has been secured is welcome but could we look at this in a different way? When I hear about Youth Advocate Programmes, YAP, Ireland Ltd, the wonderful work it does and how it is trying to source funding for advocates, I wonder why we are not investing in the groups that are already there. Why do we not give funding to EPIC and YAP? We know there is a shortage of social care workers and that we are struggling to recruit them but we know we have good agencies that can work with and empower young people. We do not need to reinvent the wheel. What these organisations are looking for is funding. Why do we not get behind these organisations and give them the support they need? They are on the ground and know this system and how it works. The fact that we do not have the personnel to fill the posts shows that it is one thing giving funding but, regrettably, when we cannot hire the personnel, we are still left with the same problem so we are not moving forward and I have a huge concern about this.
I appreciate the work of EPIC and organisations like it. We are supporting them. In terms of our statutory and legal responsibilities relating to children in care and in aftercare, I have been informed by Tusla that 18 aftercare managers will be recruited. Each manager will manage one of the 18 teams across the country. The composition of each team will be based on Tusla's analysis of the requirements of the area. For example, it may be appropriate, particularly in rural areas, to retain the social worker allocated when the young person was in care on the aftercare team. I know Tusla has given aftercare a high priority in respect of its business plan, which I have requested. Among the plans to improve outcomes in the area are the implementation of the national aftercare policy through area-based dedicated aftercare teams, as well as the continued roll out of a inter-agency aftercare steering committee in all areas, which will be there to work with and in collaboration with the groups identified by the Deputy.
