Anne Rabbitte
Question:245. Deputy Anne Rabbitte asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of children in third residential placements within 12 months in each of the years 2015 to 2018. [4498/19]
View answerDáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 30 January 2019
245. Deputy Anne Rabbitte asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of children in third residential placements within 12 months in each of the years 2015 to 2018. [4498/19]
View answer247. Deputy Anne Rabbitte asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of children in third foster care placements within 12 months in each of the years 2015 to 2018. [4500/19]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 245 and 247 together.
I can inform the Deputy that Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, use the number of placements a child has in a year as an indicator of placement stability. Data on placement stability is published in Tusla's annual Review of Adequacy report, which is published annually in arrears. The most recently published Review of Adequacy relates to the years 2015 and 2016.
The following table lays out the number of children who have had three or more care placements, by care type, in 2015 and 2016. The totals shown below represent 2.1% in 2015, and 2.7% in 2016, of children in care. This indicates that placements are generally stable for children in care.
Placement Type |
2015 |
2016 |
Foster care (General) |
54 |
85 |
Foster care (Relative) |
11 |
7 |
General residential care |
44 |
57 |
Special care |
7 |
5 |
Other |
16 |
15 |
Total |
132 |
169 |