Written Answers Nos. 952-975
952. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the procedure followed by Tusla in dealing with subsequent disclosures of sexual abuse if they are made in cases in which a child's allegation of sexual abuse has been judged to be unfounded. [44800/18]
View answerI have been advised by Tusla that, where allegations of abuse are made, by their nature the allegations must be assessed on an individual basis. Allegations are assessed in the context of whatever information is known about the child or the person suspected of alleged abuse. A previous unfounded allegation is considered by Tusla to be significant, and should be judged in the context in which it was unfounded.
One possible reason for an outcome of unfounded is that the complainant would not engage in the process and make a complaint. This would present a different context to one where the allegations were judged, on the balance of probabilities, to be unfounded.
953. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the percentage of all allegations of child sexual abuse made to either Tusla or An Garda Síochána since 2013 which have given rise to criminal charges being brought against the person against whom the allegation was made. [44802/18]
View answerCriminal charges can only be prepared following investigation by An Garda Síochána. Tusla , the Child and Family Agency, has no role in the processing of criminal charges and is not in a position to provide the information requested by the Deputy.
954. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the location of the submissions made to the consultations undertaken by her Department in each of the past ten years in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44853/18]
View answer955. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the consultations undertaken by her Department in each of the past ten years in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44871/18]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 954 and 955 together.
The information requested by the Deputy is being collated within my Department and will be forwarded as soon as possible. The Deputy has since clarified that the Questions relate to written public consultations where the resulting report has been published.
My Department consults with stakeholders on a wide range of matters and provides many opportunities for children and young people to contribute their views on issues of national and personal importance.
956. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of adults and children who spent time in Tusla funded domestic violence refuge and step down accommodation in 2017; and the average length of time these families spent in emergency accommodation. [44927/18]
View answerTusla, the Child and Family Agency has responsibility for the provision of funding, co-ordination and support to 59 organisations nationally that deliver a range of services to victims of domestic, sexual and gender based violence. 22 of these organisations provide emergency refuge and emergency non-refuge accommodation to victims of domestic violence and their children.
Tusla does not have access to live data on refuge use. Tusla-funded services provide data to Tusla on a retrospective basis. Tusla is currently in the process of gathering and processing this data for 2017 and expects to be in a position to report on it shortly. At present, the information sought is not available. Initial indications from funded domestic violence services are that refuges consistently operate at full or near full-capacity.
It should be noted that transitional or step down accommodation units, which may be run by Tusla-funded organisations, are not directly funded by Tusla. However, Tusla provides funding to many of these organisations for a range of community-based services to victims of domestic violence, and residents in transitional or step down accommodation units may access these services.
957. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if additional funding will be provided to an organisation (details supplied) in order to allow it to pay for restoration without damaging its existing allocation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44966/18]
View answer958. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the way in which additional funding promised to the youth work sector as part of budget 2019 will be allocated; the breakdown between funding new and existing projects; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44967/18]
View answer959. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs when funding to the youth work sector will be restored to the 2008 peak; her views on whether it is reasonable to expect projects to be able to continue operating with significantly reduced levels of funding; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44968/18]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 957 to 959, inclusive, together.
As the Deputy is aware, Budget 2019 has provided an additional €1.5 million in current funding to my Department to support the provision of youth services. This additional funding will be used for programmes that target disadvantaged young people. Following the Budget 2019 announcement, my Department will soon commence a process with national organisations and Education and Training Boards to identify service development needs for 2019 and to finalise the 2019 allocations. Every effort will be made to complete this process as soon as possible.
Future development and investment in youth services will be informed by area profiling and needs analysis surveys carried out by Education and Training Boards (ETB) which will develop a detailed social demographic profile in terms of both population numbers and deprivation levels. The Department is committed to working with ETBs to identify need and explore ways to address this need where it emerges.
Any youth project seeking an increase in funding should make a submission to their local ETB supported by a valid business case clearly outlining the requirement for increased funding and clearly demonstrating how the additional funding will enhance youth service provision. Any subsequent submission received from ETBs would be considered in the context of the overall budget available to the Department for youth service provision.
960. Deputy Anne Rabbitte asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the cost of preparing the report of the expert technical group on the site of the former mother and baby home at Tuam. [45013/18]
View answerAn Expert Technical Group (ETG) was commissioned to provide advice on the options available to Government in appropriately responding to the discovery of juvenile remains interred on the site in Tuam.
The six person ETG employed a multidisciplinary approach to the technical issues at the Tuam site and included experts in forensic archaeology; Irish archaeology and remote sensing; forensic anthropology; juvenile osteoarchaeology; forensic science and Irish medico-legal death investigations.
In addition, the ETG commissioned geophysical surveys and analysis, a consultant engineers report and a health and safety report to inform its work.
In December 2017 the ETG report on the Tuam site ‘Options and Appropriate Courses of Action available to Government at the site of the former Mother and Baby Home, Tuam, Co. Galway’ was published. The total cost of preparing the report was €140,000.
961. Deputy Anne Rabbitte asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the status of the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes and Certain Related Matters; the date by which the final reports from the commission will be published; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45014/18]
View answer962. Deputy Anne Rabbitte asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the amount that has been spent on the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes and Certain Related Matters in each year since its establishment. [45015/18]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 961 and 962 together.
The Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes and certain related Matters was established by Government on 17 February 2015 (S.I. No. 57 of 2015).
In terms of the status of the Commission, it is important to recognise that the Commission is independent in the conduct of its statutory investigations. I am not therefore in a position to provide detailed progress updates on its work. The Commission is due to submit its 3 Final Reports by February 2019.
The Commission has prepared three Interim Reports to date, in July 2016, September 2016 and September 2017. I have published all three reports and the Commission is continuing with its work.
Since it's establishment expenditure of approximately €7.4 million has been incurred to support salaries, fees and other operational costs relating to the work of the independent Commission and its engagement with former residents and other witnesses.
|
Year |
Commission Expenditure |
|
2018 |
€1.7 (to end September) |
|
2017 |
€2.1 |
|
2016 |
€2 |
|
2015 |
€1.5 |
In addition, my Department has also directly incurred costs of approximately €1.6 million to date in supporting this work and responding to its reports to date. This also includes the processes I have commenced to complement the Commission's work by facilitating former residents of these institutions to directly engage on the issues of concern to them and their families.
963. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if it is Tusla policy that the questioning of children in regard to disclosures of sexual abuse is conducted in a child friendly and appropriate manner, in a child friendly and appropriate venue including in circumstances in which such questioning is being conducted by outside contractors; and if so, the way in which Tusla monitors if this policy is followed in each case. [45123/18]
View answerChildren may disclose sexual abuse in any environment and to any person they choose. In all cases, where such a disclosure is made and referred to Tusla, a social worker will approach a meeting with the child on the basis of building a rapport. Once the social worker has developed an understanding of the child’s communication capabilities, he or she will be asked to tell their story in their own words. The environment is supportive and child friendly. The social worker will facilitate the child’s return to his or her carers.
The venues for such meetings can be in the child’s own home or school. However, on occasion other suitable locations may have to be used depending on the level of urgency and/or the safety of the child. It is important that these venues are child friendly and have a supportive environment. However, when medical consultation is necessary, the venue may need to be a more clinical setting. Every effort is made to make medical consultations as child friendly as possible.
Representatives from Tusla and outside agencies meet regularly to discuss ways of improving the quality of services in regards to children making disclosures of sexual abuse.
I have also committed to establish centres for supporting children who have suffered sexual abuse a way that would minimise their trauma while accessing care or health services, and engaging with the criminal justice system.
This proposal has the agreement of the Minister for Justice and Equality, Charles Flanagan TD and Minister for Health, Simon Harris TD, and a pilot centre will be opened in 2019.
964. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the supports Tusla offers to children who have made disclosures of sexual abuse pending investigation of their allegations. [45125/18]
View answerI am informed by Tusla that the level of supports required for children who make disclosures of sexual abuse varies on a case by case basis. The child’s family, with the aid of advice and support from social workers and other suitably qualified professionals, are often able to provide the most appropriate emotional support needed. However, in situations when further support is required, social workers or social care leaders can remain in contact with the child and their family over an extended period of time. This may involve working with the Gardaí and other agencies while a case is being investigated, or liaising with local General Practitioner Services and/or Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS).
If a child is linked in with other organisations they can avail of further sources of support. The social work department can act as consultant to these organisations in the provision of advice and support.
The most meaningful support to children comes from sources known to them before the disclosure was made. Other sources of support are called upon as required in individual circumstances.
965. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the penalties in place for persons who willingly make false allegations to Tusla regarding other persons. [45126/18]
View answerThe Protection for Persons Reporting Child Abuse Act, 1998, protects people who make a report of suspected child abuse to designated officers of Tusla, the HSE or to members of the Gardaí as long as the report is made in good faith and is not malicious.
Section 5 of that Act created a new offence of false reporting in cases where a report was made knowing the statement to be untrue. In such cases it is a matter for An Garda Síochána to investigate.
It is an offence to make a false report. The penalties named in the Act, which can be imposed by the District Court, include a fine not exceeding €1,500 or a maximum of 12 months imprisonment, or both. A fine not exceeding €15,000 or a maximum of 3 years imprisonment or both, may be imposed by a higher court (Circuit or Central Criminal Court).
Tusla is not a policing body and makes determinations, to inform the delivery of services or as a basis to share critical information with third parties, on the credibility of an allegation on a balance of probabilities. Where a referral is not considered to be credible, other factors may need to be taken into account, including where the person involved may have a genuine belief or, for example, a mental health issue.
966. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if a company (details supplied) has undertaken work within her Department's remit to build or renovate projects over the past ten years; if so, the project name and location; the year in which it was built; if building fire safety inspections have been carried out on the projects since construction; the details of same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45194/18]
View answerMy Department has no record of any building or renovation works undertaken by the company referred to by the Deputy. The agencies under the remit of my Department have advised me that they have not engaged the company for any building works or renovation projects.
967. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the degree to which she remains satisfied regarding the availability of community child support services including the provision of support for after school activities through youth clubs and similar bodies; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45357/18]
View answerMy Department continues to invest significant resources in the childcare sector generally. Over the last four Budgets (2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019) investment in childcare has increased by nearly 117% which reflects the emphasis being placed on improving access to affordable, high quality services.
This investment includes funding of the Community Childcare Subvention (CCS) and the After School Childcare (ASCC) schemes. CCS is a childcare programme targeted to support parents on a low income to avail of reduced childcare costs. ASCC is designed to support parents on eligible training courses, as well as certain categories of parents returning to work, by providing subsidised childcare places. Eligible children must be under 15 years of age to avail of these supports. In September 2017, I increased significantly the subsidy paid under CCS to make it more attractive for low income families.
When the Affordable Childcare Scheme is rolled out, school-age childcare services who are registered with Tusla will be able to avail of subsidies under the new scheme. As Tusla-registration will be a requirement, I will shortly be introducing regulations (under the Child Care Act 1991) to allow for the registration of school-age childcare providers.
There has been little change in the proportion of childcare provision that is community-based. According to the Pobal annual sector profile, which is carried out on my Department's behalf, in 2013 approximately 26% of childcare services were community services. The latest data indicates that the proportion in 2018 is approximately 24%.
The annual survey suggests that supply of childcare places currently broadly matches demand. My Department is committed to keeping capacity in the sector under review. Staff from City and County Childcare Committees are available across the country to assist parents who may have difficulty in meeting their childcare needs.
The Programme for a Partnership Government included a number of commitments to strengthen supports for school-age childcare. My Department chaired a group with the Department of Education and Skills to progress those commitments in a coherent way and to align relevant bodies of work under our respective areas of responsibility. The result of this work, the Action Plan for School Age Childcare, was published in 2017.
Since the Action Plan was published, much progress has been made. An expert working group on School Age Childcare has developed recommendations for my department on standards, which will be progressed in 2019. The Department of Education and Skills has published guidelines to assist school authorities on how their premises might be utilised for school-age childcare and other activities where it can be facilitated by the school patron/trustees.
My Department has also provided a programme of capital grants, uptake of which has been very high. In 2018 there were 45 applications with a value of €761,282 approved for the creation of 807 new School Age places under the school-age capital grant scheme. Additionally, 54 Essential Maintenance and Repair projects have been funded in 2018 for Community School Age services to the value of €250,763 under the capital programme.
While youth groups may choose to provide school-age childcare or other services, to date evidence of this is limited. Youth clubs funded by my Department under the Local Youth Club Grant Scheme must be volunteer-led. While some staff-led targeted youth services are co-located with pre-schools and/or after-schools, the youth funding is not in any way linked to the operation of these services.
968. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the extent to which she maintains dialogue with the prison services with a view to providing appropriate support for first-time offender juveniles on their release from prison; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45358/18]
View answerOn 31 March 2017, I signed the necessary orders, to end the practice of detaining 17-year-old boys in adult prison facilities. Since then, any child who is remanded in custody or sentenced to a period of detention is accommodated in Oberstown Children Detention Campus. Hence, there are no children detained in adult prisons.
A comprehensive care model of, Care, Education, Health and Well-being, Offending Behaviour and Preparation for returning to families and community (CEHOP), is in operation at Oberstown with the aim of achieving the best outcomes for young people in detention. CEHOP was developed by Oberstown and is a bespoke model for the delivery of care programmes.
When a child arrives in Oberstown, his/her care programme is based on the child’s leaving date. Depending on the length of their remand or detention, Oberstown develops plans based on the child's short, medium and long-term needs, always focusing on their ultimate return and reintegration into the community and reducing the risk of re-offending.
Preparation for leaving involves practical programmes that are regularly reviewed and constantly supervised. Placement Planning Meetings take place at regular intervals throughout the child’s time in Oberstown. These cover all aspects of the child's care including accommodation, living skills, finances, work, education and health. Oberstown involves all relevant parties which includes the young person themselves as well as the key people in their lives such as parents/family, carers, as well as representatives from care, education, health and other relevant external agencies.
969. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the extent to which she and agencies under her remit continue to monitor reports of children at risk, whether in institutional care, foster care or homeless; the extent to which she can offer assistance in such situations; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45359/18]
View answerTusla, the Child and Family Agency, has a statutory duty under the Child Care Act 1991 to promote the welfare of children who are not receiving adequate care and protection, and if necessary, to receive a child into the care of the State.
The placement of children in care is governed by Regulations and National Standards. These provide for the welfare of the child, including their health, education, assessment of need, care planning, supervision of placement, contact with family, general care practices, care records, and safety precautions. Children, depending on their identified needs, may be placed in foster care either with relatives or general foster carers, in residential care, high support or special care or other placement types. The majority of children are placed in long term stable placements and currently over 92% of children are placed in foster care. A key part of the social worker role is to ensure the quality and safety of the child's placement, and to meet with the child on a one to one basis on all visits. There are safeguards surrounding each child care placement, whether foster or residential care and all placements are supervised by a professionally qualified social worker.
All foster care services and statutory residential centres are subject to inspection by the Health Information Quality Authority (HIQA). Private and voluntary residential centres are inspected by Tusla against National Standards. Inspection reports of children's residential centres, fostering services and child protection services are also reviewed and analysed by my officials. The overview of these reports provides me with a level of assurance on the overall capacity of Tusla to identify and provide services to families and children who are at risk.
Tusla has a dedicated Quality Assurance Team. This team produces monthly, quarterly and annual reports in respect of Tusla's functions, including detailed reporting on child safety and protection services. Tusla provides me with information on children in care, their placement type, care status and allocation of social workers. Within my Department there is a Unit which scrutinises these reports and briefs me and senior officials on issues of note. The reports provide statistical evidence of improvements to child welfare and protection services and highlights challenges and areas where further improvement is required, such as the recruitment of additional social workers.
Officials from my Department meet Tusla management on a regular basis to review the level of service provision, including areas in need of improvement.
The Deputy should also be aware that children in care have access to independent advocacy supports, such as the organisation Empowering People in Care (EPIC). Children in care also have access to the complaints mechanism in Tulsa, and may make complaints, or be assisted to make complaints, about their care to the Office of the Ombudsman for Children.
In the context of the Child Care Act 1991, my Department has policy responsibility for children under 18 years of age who present as “out of home” without their parent or guardian. Children under the age of 16 who present as homeless without their parent or guardian are taken into care. Children aged 16 and 17 may be taken into care or provided with a service under section 5 of the Child Care Act 1991 which deals with accommodation for homeless children. Children who are homeless and in emergency accommodation are in the care of their parent or guardian. Where there are no welfare or protection concerns, Tusla's role is to provide family support if it is required.
970. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the extent to which she can liaise with and offer assistance to homeless children whose parents may also be homeless; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45360/18]
View answerWhile the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government has ultimate responsibility for managing homelessness, as the Deputy is aware, I am committed to helping children and families as part of a whole-of-Government response to homelessness.
The Child Care Act 1991 (as amended), requires Tusla to take reasonable steps to make available accommodation to children who are homeless and have no accommodation that they can reasonably occupy. These children may be taken into the care of Tusla or, in the case of children aged 16 or 17, they may be provided with accommodation under section 5 of the Act.
Where children are homeless as part of a family experiencing homelessness, my Department is working closely with Tusla to provide supports to mitigate the challenges faced by these parents and children. These include the introduction of free childcare for the children of families experiencing homelessness. As part of the scheme a daily meal is provided for each child, the cost of which is included in the subvention rate. The scheme is also designed to help those transitioning from homelessness to permanent accommodation.
Tusla works together with other statutory and voluntary agencies to provide services and supports to children, young people and families experiencing homelessness.
Family Resource Centres, part funded by Tusla, are working with people who are experiencing homelessness and many have developed local responses to the needs of families in emergency accommodation. These include, by way of example, family fun days, homework support, after school programmes, play therapy and transport services.
In recognition of the difficulties associated with homelessness and school attendance, Tusla’s Educational Welfare Service offers a number of supports to children (and families) experiencing homelessness.
Tusla and the Dublin Regional Homeless Executive (DRHE) have agreed a joint protocol to facilitate an inter-agency response to the many challenges posed by homelessness. The main aim of the joint protocol is to work in partnership to address the family support needs of homeless families and to promote inter-agency cooperation.
As part of the protocol, Tusla provides support to the DHRE’s ‘one-stop-shop’ assessment centres. Here the role of Tusla staff is to participate as required with regard to issues involving child protection and welfare, educational welfare and Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence (DSGBV) services.
Referrals received from Case Workers located in Assessment Centres are responded to as appropriate. The Tusla Homelessness Liaison Officer provides broad-based supports to the centres.
It is important to note that Tusla only intervenes in family life in exceptional circumstances. Children who are with their families in emergency accommodation remain in the care of their parents or guardians. Where Tusla has concerns regarding the welfare and development of any child they will provide family supports to assist that family and child.
Ultimately, my concern is that we minimise and then eliminate the problem of homelessness. In the meantime, I will continue to support measures to help those affected, to the greatest degree possible within my area of responsibility.
971. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the extent to which adequate early warning systems exist to alert her Department to the threat to children and young persons of cybergrooming; the extent to which the issue can be combatted; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45361/18]
View answerThe Minister is not aware of any early warning systems relevant to cyber grooming and would direct the Deputy to the Department of Justice and Equality as that Department has responsibility for legislation in this area.
972. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the extent to which she envisages improved counselling services for children at risk and their families; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45362/18]
View answerUnder the Child and Family Agency Act, 2013, Tusla, the Child and Family Agency is required to support and promote the development, welfare and protection of children. Tusla provides funding to voluntary organisations offering a range of counselling, psychotherapy and support services to children and families including:
- Marriage and relationship counselling,
- Child counselling,
- Rainbows Peer Support Programme for children,
- Bereavement counselling and support on the death of a family member.
In 2018, Tusla is providing funding of approximately €6.155 million to support organisations providing counselling services, the majority of which are voluntary. The funding provided by Tusla focuses on the development of support services in the community for families to enhance stability in family life and to assist children and families and their members in dealing with difficult periods in their lives.
Tusla's priority is to ensure that counselling services provide support and promote the development, welfare and protection of children and the effective functioning of families. Tusla has committed to formulating an overall plan for Tusla therapeutic services. In its examination of available services, Tusla is considering how best to deliver community-based therapeutic and counselling services.
In 2018, all counselling services funded by Tusla signed a new service level agreement which introduced comprehensive governance standards and included a provision to ensure accessibility of these services to all family types.
Mental health policy is under the remit of my colleague the Minister for Health, and Tusla works closely with other care providers including the Health Service Executive (HSE), in respect of access to child and adolescent mental health services.
Tusla will continue to work closely with service providers to support children and young people at risk and the effective functioning of families.
973. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the amount of funding made available to various youth and youth support organisations in the course of 2018; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45363/18]
View answerAs the Deputy may be aware in 2018 an extra €1.5 million was allocated in current funding to support the provision of youth services, which brought the total current youth funding available to my Department to €58.9 million. The additional funding is being used for programmes that target disadvantaged young people.
My Department administers a range of funding schemes and programmes to support the provision of youth services to young people throughout the country including those from disadvantaged communities. The funding schemes support national and local youth work involving approximately 1,400 youth work staff working in youth services and communities throughout the country.
These schemes include the Youth Service Grant Scheme, under which funding is made available to thirty national and major regional youth organisations. Targeted supports for disadvantaged, marginalised and at risk young people are provided through the Special Projects for Youth Scheme, the Young Peoples Facilities and Services Fund Rounds 1 and 2, Local Drugs Task Force Projects and certain other programmes including the Local Youth Club Grant Scheme and Youth Information Centres.
The Local Youth Club Grant Scheme supports youth work activities at a local level. These grants are made available to all youth clubs and groups through the local Education and Training Boards. Each year, in the region of 1700 local youth clubs are eligible to apply under the scheme.
974. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the extent to which she continues to support an organisation (details supplied) throughout the county; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45364/18]
View answerMy Department administers a range of funding schemes and programmes to support the provision of youth services to young people throughout the country including those from disadvantaged communities. The funding schemes support national and local youth work involving approximately 1,400 youth work staff working in youth services and communities throughout the country.
As the Deputy may be aware, in 2018, €58.9 million has been allocated in current funding to support the provision of youth services which is being used for programmes that target disadvantaged young people and to assist national youth organisations in their work to support local voluntary youth services.
In 2018, an amount of €539,425 was allocated by my Department for the projects and services under Kildare Youth Services, which operates under Youth Work Ireland.
My Department provides funding to Kildare Youth Services under the Special Projects for Youth Scheme in respect of six local youth projects in Athy, Naas, Leixlip, Newbridge, the Curragh and Kildare town and also provides funding for a Youth Information Centre in Naas.
975. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of children in residential or foster care; the extent to which adequate resources remain available to meet the demand in both circumstances; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45365/18]
View answerFoster care is the main form of alternative care for children in need of care and protection, and is the preferred option for children who cannot live with their parents or guardians. As of the 31 August 2018, of the children in care, 92% were in foster care nationally; there were 4,005 children in general foster care, 1,642 in relative care and 366 children were in a residential care placement, with the remaining children in other care placements appropriate to their assessed needs.
For children who cannot live either at home or in an alternative family environment such as foster care, there are a number of types of residential care settings that may be appropriate, of which secure care is one type.
A very small number of children (2%) are in other care placements. Such placements can include supported lodgings, at home under a care order, detention centre/prison, youth homeless facilities, other residential centres e.g. therapeutic, disability, residential assessment, designated mother and baby units.
Foster care is the preferred option for children who have been received into care. This can be as a result of abuse and/or neglect and their parents' inability to care for them due to a combination of difficulties in their own lives. In recent years, more than 90% of children in care were in a foster care placement.
There are regular area recruitment campaigns to meet foster care demands. Fostering teams are responsible for the recruitment and assessment of foster carers. When an assessment is complete, a report is presented to the Foster Care Committee who decide whether or not to approve the applicant.
The recruitment and retention of an appropriate range of foster carers is part of Tusla's business plan. Tusla are particularly interested in recruiting foster carers with the skills required to look after children with complex needs, or from a range of ethnic and cultural backgrounds.
