Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 16 Feb 1993

Vol. 426 No. 1

Written Answers. - Housing for Homeless Youths.

Jim Mitchell

Ceist:

187 Mr. J. Mitchell asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the concern expressed about a number of aspects and provisions of emergency housing for homeless youths in the Dublin area; and the steps, if any, he will take to correct those issues which are the responsibility of his Department and the Eastern Health Board in view of the facts of a case (details supplied).

Minister for Health (Mr. Howlin)

Section 5 of the Child Care Act, 1991, which was brought into operation on 1 October last, has imposed, for the first time ever, a statutory duty on health boards to provide accommodation for homeless children up to 18 years.

In preparation for the commencement of this provision, a significant proportion of the special allocation of £1 million and £2 million set aside in the budgets of 1991 and 1992, respectively, for the development of child care services was used to develop new services and facilities for homeless children around the country.

Over 40 extra hostel and other residential places for homeless youngsters have been developed in the Dublin area where the problem of youth homelessness is mainly concentrated. An additional 30 places have been developed outside the Dublin area.

The new developments initiated in the Eastern Health Board area to assist homeless children include a new emergency hostel providing ten places for homeless girls at Sherrard House, Dublin 1; a new therapeutic unit for eight difficult adolescents (boys and girls) operated by the Eastern Health Board near Naas, County Kildare; a new residential unit for ten boys operated by the Los Angeles Society in Dalkey; the hostel for homeless boys at Percy Place run by the Catholic Social Service Conference has been relocated to refurbished accommodation at Eccles Street resulting in an increase from ten to 12 in the number of places; a new after-care service for up to four boys leaving that hostel has been established at Lennox Street; the establishment of an "after hours" social work service to deal exclusively with the young homeless; a carers for young people scheme" to provide family care for adolescents who have had difficulty adapting to other settings; the recruitment of families to take young adolescents into their homes on an emergency basis; and the development of other short term accommodation such as digs, sheltered flats and semi-independent living accommodation.

The Eastern Health Board is currently involved in negotiations with a number of voluntary groups in relation to the development of further residential facilities for homeless children.

I hope the Deputy will accept from the various developments which I have outlined that considerable progress is being made in tackling the problem of youth homelessness in the Dublin area.

With regard to the two specific cases raised by the Deputy, the teenage boy has been provided with appropriate accommodation following a detailed assessment of his needs. In the case of the teenage girl, a number of her previous hostel and other residential placements have broken down. The only form of accommodation she is willing to accept at present is bed and breakfast accommodation.

However, as a result of a recent case conference convened by the health board and attended by representatives of a number of voluntary groups, a plan has been drawn up which involves the assignment of an Outreach worker to provide ongoing support to the girl. It is hoped that this arrangement will in time lead to the girl accepting mainstream services from the health board. In the meantime the board is continuing to provide a social work service to the girl and she is attending a day centre.