Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 29 Sep 1999

Vol. 508 No. 1

Written Answers. - Child Care Services.

Deirdre Clune

Ceist:

427 Ms Clune asked the Minister for Health and Children if, further to Parliamentary Question No. 198 of 11 May 1999, he has submitted the Consultancy Report of Assessment Procedures in Inter-Country Adoptions to Government; if so, the Government's response to the report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17259/99]

John McGuinness

Ceist:

477 Mr. McGuinness asked the Minister for Health and Children the reasons it can take three years to commence assessment for foreign adoptions in the Carlow and Kilkenny area while assessments in other parts of the South-Eastern Health Board area are commenced in less than 12 months; the merits, or otherwise, of having a centralised waiting list in the area; the reason for the delay in commencing the assessment in the case of persons (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17696/99]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Cowen):

I propose to take Questions Nos. 427 and 477 together.

Adoption services in the South-Eastern Health Board area are provided by "SEEK Regional Adoption Services" which forms part of the board's community care programme. There are 38 applicants currently on the waiting list for adoption assessment in the South-Eastern Health Board area and the waiting period varies from approximately one year in the south Tipperary area, where there are five applicants on the waiting list, to three years in the Carlow/Kilkenny area where there are 15 applicants on the waiting list. The particular case is a matter for the South-Eastern Health Board and I have referred it to the chief executive officer of the board for direct reply to Deputy McGuinness. The board gives priority to its child protection and foster care services in appointing additional social workers.

The issues raised by the Deputies are common to a number of health boards. I have received a large number of representations concerning both delays in commencing assessments and perceived differences between health boards in the assessment process itself. Last November I commissioned an independent consultancy to review the foreign adoption assessment procedures in the eight health boards with the aim of ensuring that an efficient and standardised assessment procedure, which accords with best practice in the field, operates across the country while, at the same time having regard to the priority that must be attached to other areas of the child care services. The aim of the consultancy was to make recommendations on a streamlined, standardised framework for assessment, according with best practice in the field. A number of recommendations deal specifically with the structural issues which Deputy McGuinness has raised.

The Government approved the publication of the report "Towards a Standardised Framework for Intercountry Adoption Assessment Procedures"; the appointment of an implementation group to prioritise, plan and cost the phased implementation of the report's recommendations and provided for additional funding of £500,000 in 1999 to enable work to commence on implementation. The report was published in July and circulated to all relevant personnel within the health board areas. The additional funding has been allocated to health boards on the basis of the waiting list for intercountry adoption assessment in December 1998. Funding provided to the boards has been specifically earmarked for the improvement of the assessment process and in the south-eastern region will allow for the appointment of an additional social worker in the area of inter-country adoption. The implementation group has been established and has begun its work in prioritising and costing the recommendations and developing time frames for the implementation of the report. The first priority identified by the group is the promulgation of the "Standardised Framework" as recommended in the report which will help to achieve a consistent and equitable service countrywide.