Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 29 March 2022
500. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will ensure that children who are under the care of Tusla and that are placed under private family arrangement are placed only in homes that have been adequately vetted and regulated by Tusla; and if he will provide details of the vetting that takes place. [15864/22]
View answerWhen a child enters the formal care system, formal vetting requirements as set out in statue and the relevant Regulations are adhered to. This vetting is conducted by the Garda National Vetting Bureau and Tusla provides a support service to carers to complete the vetting process.
There is no formal definition of a ‘private family arrangement’ and current legislation places no requirement on Tusla to complete vetting in such cases. Where Tusla supports families to make appropriate arrangements for their children within their own resources and where Tusla’s engagement is required to ensure the safety of the child, Tusla will seek Garda vetting as a part of that process.
Section 23 of the Child Care Act, 1991, as amended defines what is termed ‘private foster care’. Private foster care refers to any arrangement or undertaking whereby a child is for more than 14 days in the full-time care, for reward or otherwise, of a person other than his or her parent or guardian, a person cohabiting with a parent or guardian or a relative, with certain exemptions outlined in the Act. In respect of such scenarios, there is no statutory requirement for vetting. However Tusla has advised that it is beginning to adopt a safeguarding approach to such arrangements and will be seeking the relevant data subjects to be vetted.
