Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 18 July 2012
313 Deputy Dominic Hannigan asked the Minister for Health if he can provide any reassurances to school leavers with an intellectual disability who are concerned that when they will not be able to attend any further training opportunities once they leave school; his plans to insure that they will have access to a course; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36435/12]
Amharc ar fhreagra362 Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Health if he has provided sufficient resources for supports for young people with an intellectual disability; his views on press reports that up to 400 young people with this disability may not secure support funding for training and residential placements from September 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35849/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 313 and 362 together.
Day services for adults with disabilities provide a network of support for over 25,000 people who have a wide spectrum of need, ranging from those with severe and profound disabilities who are likely to need long-term specialist service provision to people with lower support needs and greater potential for community participation and inclusion. The HSE, through its Occupational Guidance Service, works with schools, service providers, service users and families to identify the needs of young people with disabilities who are due to complete their second level education. The aim is to address the needs of individuals in the following ways: Health-funded day services; FÁS-funded vocational training; Approval to extend education placement for a specified time.
Over 660 places are required for school leavers in 2012 and around 390 places in respect of those who are completing their RT course this year. To date, suitable placements have been identified for 514 school leavers and 321 RT graduates. This year, disability services are required to cater for demographic pressures such as new services for school leavers from within their existing budgets. In previous years demographic funding was provided to meet this need. 2012 budgets have been reduced by 3.7% and the moratorium on staff recruitment gives rise to additional challenges in service provision.
Service providers and the HSE have come together under the auspices of National Consultative Forum to identify how the needs of individuals who require day and rehabilitative training places can be responded to within available resources. The National Consultative Forum recognises that the key to ensuring that available resources for people with disabilities are used to best effect is through constructive collaboration between non-statutory providers and the HSE. There are already many excellent examples of collaborative working between service providers and the HSE in innovatively responding to the needs of individuals.
The HSE and disability service providers have commenced the process of notifying families if a place is available or if the individual is to be placed on a waiting list. Where a service has yet to be identified parents/guardians are being advised that: the young person would be placed on a waiting list;the family would be kept informed of progress; and the HSE and the disability agency understood that this was a challenging time for families and would continue to explore all available options.
Every effort is being made to achieve an equitable and sustainable outcome to address the current difficulties in providing an appropriate service to each individual. However, the Health Service as a whole has to operate within the parameters of funding available to it and given the current economic environment this has become a major challenge for all stakeholders, including the HSE, voluntary service providers, services users and their families.
