Léim ar aghaidh chuig an bpríomhábhar
Gnáthamharc

Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 25 Oct 2001

Vol. 543 No. 1

Written Answers. - Foster Care.

Róisín Shortall

Ceist:

173 Ms Shortall asked the Minister for Health and Children if his attention has been drawn to the anomaly which exists in respect of orphans' pensions and the higher rate of payment for fostering; his views on whether this acts as a disincentive for relatives to care for children who have been orphaned; if he will consider streamlining all payments for the care of non-birth children; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25800/01]

As the Deputy is aware, the revised foster care allowance scheme was introduced in August of this year. The introduction of the new scheme was designed to achieve the same objectives as the recommendations in the Report of the Working Group on Foster Care which were to provide foster carers with an adequate allowance to look after their foster children and that all foster children be treated equally.

The children in respect of whom these payments are made are taken into care by the health board either on a voluntary basis or by court order, and placed in foster care, either under the Child Care (Placement of children in foster care) Regulations, 1995, or the Child Care (Placement of children with relatives) Regulations, 1995, and the health board, therefore, has the corporate responsibility for the care and protection of these children. Under the regulations a health board must assess the needs of a child placed in care and the suitability of the prospective foster carers and draw up a child care plan for that child. The implementation of the child care plan places significant responsibilities and duties on foster carers, whether they are relative or non-relative carers. It was in recognition of these additional responsibilities and the additional costs of looking after foster children that the new scheme was introduced.
In contrast the orphan's payments scheme operated by the Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs is designed as an income support scheme. The two schemes are designed to meet different needs. It would therefore be inappropriate to standardise them.
Questions Nos. 174 and 175 answered with Question No. 68. Question No. 176 answered with Question No. 140.
Barr
Roinn