Written Answers Nos. 19 - 26
19. Deputy Eamonn Maloney asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the structures and support mechanisms that can be provided to young persons who leave State care where there is no family support. [21730/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraYoung people who leave State care are entitled to advice, guidance and practical support. This is delivered in partnership with the young person, his or her family, carers, social workers, key or link worker and other statutory, community and voluntary agencies. Before a young person leaves care, a needs assessment is carried out to identify a young person's need for accommodation, financial support, social networks, training and education. The most vulnerable group of children are those leaving residential care or short term foster care placements. Children who come into care late, in their mid to late teens, may not have developed the relationships with staff or aftercare workers, helpful for good outcomes.
One of the key features of aftercare is a dedicated aftercare worker who will work with the young person, and advocate on their behalf to promote their safety and development. Many young people continue to reside with foster carers while attending third level education. Young people who do not have family support from a foster carer or family base are helped to find accommodation in either supported lodgings, sheltered housing or independent accommodation and encouraged and supported financially in furthering their training and education.
The core eligible age range for aftercare is 18 years and up to 21 years which can extend until the completion of a course of education in which he/she is engaged up to the age of 23 years of age.
Ideally, aftercare provides the range and continuum of services to assist the varying needs of young people leaving care to help them achieve a successful transition from the care environment to independent adult life in the community. This transitionary period may present serious challenges to young people and HSE staff alike, as these young adults encounter all the usual developmental issues of leaving home without, for many, the security of a stable background.
Some young people, on leaving care, declare themselves independent of state services and are reluctant to engage with the service. This presents challenges to service providers but is not a reason to cut off a young person from receiving support within the timeframes of the aftercare service. The HSE policy provides that these young people can re-engage with the service at any time until they reach 21 years of age.
Given the particular difficulties for some young people leaving care in areas of mental health and disability, the aftercare policy has a strong multi-agency dimension. The HSE's Aftercare Implementation Group is developing protocols with Social Inclusion, Disability Services, Mental Health Services Primary Care in the HSE and the Department of the Environment regarding housing to support this approach A protocol has been signed with the Irish Youth Justice Service which covers joint working arrangements for young people in Detention Schools.
The Deputy will be aware that I am currently examining options to strengthen legislation regarding the provision of aftercare. I have recently held round-table discussions with HSE, service providers, advocates and the voluntary sector in relation to the recent improvements in aftercare service delivery and the proposed legislative change. My officials have met with their counterparts in Northern Ireland to discuss the nature and impact of the strengthening of aftercare legislatively in Northern Ireland and issues to do with service provision. The Deputy will be aware that I had previously indicated my intention to bring forward legislative amendments and this remains my focus.
21. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the steps she is taking to help reverse the increase of deaths by suicide of children in care, children known to the Health Service Executive’s child welfare and protection service and young persons in aftercare in 2012 or the 2011 number of cases notified to the National Review Panel (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21773/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe figures for referrals to the National Review Panel in 2011 and 2012 are as set out in the tables below. Cases referred to the Panel include:
- All deaths of children in care, including deaths by natural causes
- All deaths of children known to HSE child protection system
- Deaths of young adults (up to 21 years of age) who were in the care of the HSE in the period immediately prior to their 18th birthday or were in receipt of aftercare services
- Where a case of suspected or confirmed abuse involves the death of, or a serious incident to, a child known to the HSE or a HSE funded service
- Serious incidents involving children in care or children known to the HSE child protection services
NRP Notifications 2012
Table 1: Cause of Death
|
Cause of Death |
No. |
|
Drug Overdose |
0 |
|
Natural Causes |
7 |
|
Suicide |
9 |
|
Homicide |
1 |
|
Road Traffic Accident |
2 |
|
Other Accidental |
4 |
|
Total |
23 |
NRP Notifications 2011
Table 2: Cause of Death
|
Cause of Death |
No. |
|
Drug Overdose |
2 |
|
Natural Causes |
8 |
|
Suicide |
3 |
|
Homicide |
0 |
|
Road Traffic Accident |
1 |
|
Other Accidental |
1 |
|
Total |
15 |
Of the referrals in both 2011 and 2012 of children who were in the care of the State, there were two deaths in each year. All four of these children had terminal illnesses before they entered State care and were not expected to survive. The referrals of suicide cases in 2011(which include aftercare cases up to age 21) represent 20% of the total number of referrals to the panel in that year and 39% for 2012. There are not directly comparable data readily available for the general youth population. However, in the general youth population deaths by suicide accounted for 22% of all deaths of children aged 10-17 in 2011 (State of the Nation' Children Report, 2012). The figures for the general youth population deaths by suicide in 2012 are not yet available.
While the figures above highlight an increase in suicide cases referred to the National Review Panel between these two years this cannot be considered a trend owing to the very small amount of data available and the short reference period. In this regard, the Report of the Independent Child Death Review Group stated, inter alia, that 'while not seeking to minimise the gravity of the issue of deaths of children in care, in statistical terms the numbers will be small. Therefore any generalisation based on these numbers, or even comparisons with the general population is likely to be unreliable' . However this is an issue which will be monitored closely in the future. Further, the Chair of the National Review panel has recently highlighted the increased prevalence of suicide in the cases referred in 2012. In this regard there are plans to provide specialist training in the area to Review Panel members to assist in better understanding the underlying issues. The NRP also intends to produce themed reports in the future which will focus on areas such as this.
As regards the broader issue raised by the Deputy, my Department supports a range of community based programmes for all those working with young people in out-of-school settings. The training is based on the resource 'Mindout' which was developed by Health Promotion HSE West and NUI Galway. Mindout adopts a universal mental health promotion approach which has strong links with the "Support for all" element of the recent guidelines on Mental Health Promotion for Schools published by the HSE, Department of Education and Skills and the National Office for Suicide Prevention. In addition, the HSE is working proactively to ensure that front line staff are receiving training and receive continuing professional development with regard to suicide awareness and the promotion of positive mental health for young people.
22. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the action her Department will take to help young people counter the effects of websites that encourage harmful and unhealthy behaviour, such as promoting anorexia and bulimia and other eating disorders; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21836/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraWhile the internet undoubtedly presents fantastic opportunities for children, it is equally clear that there is a real opportunity for children to be put at risk by their exposure to material and/or individuals which may be harmful. With the rapid evolution of internet technology, through internet on mobile phones and camera phones, parents need to understand that access to the internet is becoming increasingly diverse and therefore increasingly difficult to supervise.
The Office for Internet Safety (OIS) which was established in March 2008 as an Executive Office of the Department of Justice and Equality has primary responsibility for the development and promotion of strategic actions to promote the highest possible levels of internet safety, particularly in relation to combating child pornography. The Office for Internet Safety plays a key role in ensuring a cohesive approach is being taken across Government Departments, State Agencies and other key stakeholders in addressing illegal content on the internet.
The OIS has established a service accessible at www.hotline.ie where people can report sites if they have concerns that content may be illegal. All reports received are assessed and where content is found to be illegal action is taken. This is an anonymous service and you do not have to give your name or any personal information.
The Safer Internet Ireland Project is a consortium of industry, education, child welfare and government partners that acts as a Safer Internet Centre in Ireland providing awareness, hotline and helpline functions and activities in the Republic of Ireland. The project, coordinated by the OIS aims to develop national initiatives promoting the safer use of electronic media and enhance protection of the vulnerable, particularly children, against the downside of the Internet. The project develops materials and programmes of awareness to ensure that children, teachers and parents understand the benefits and risks of the Internet.
The National Centre for Technology in Education (NCTE), has primary responsibility for the development of material and programmes of awareness to ensure children, teachers and parents understand the benefits and risks of the internet, through initiatives such as www.webwise.ie
There are some simple practical steps parents can take to help limit the risks as well as clear advice they can give their children. The best way of doing this is for parents to get involved and understand how their children use the internet. Developing your knowledge of the technology involved and understanding how your child uses this technology to interact with others on the Internet will greatly assist parents in guiding and supporting their children to ensure that they are using it in the safest possible manner.
24. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the reporting protocols in place regarding children in high support units who engage in anti-social behaviour in off-site settings and more serious activities, including criminal damage; the protocols in place when it is apparent that children placed in high support units have taken alcohol or may have engaged in other substance abuse activities; if these latter incidents are also covered by reporting protocols; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21774/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraHigh support units offer a residential service to children and young people who are in need of specialised targeted intervention: they are ‘open’ in that the young person is not detained. High Support differs from ordinary residential care in that the units offer higher staff ratios, on-site education as well as specialised input such as psychology services.
High support units aim to assist young people in developing internal controls of behaviour, to enhance self-esteem, facilitate personal abilities and strengths, and to build a capacity for constructive choice, resilience and responsibility. There are high supports units that are managed locally and two high support units that are managed nationally.
The HSE has advised me that they have in place protocols, where young people who are placed in high support units engage in anti-social or risk taking behaviour, that is known to the staff.
All significant events are notified to the allocated social worker, the HSE monitor for high support, the senior management team and any other person with a bona fide interest in the young person. There is a register of all Significant Events maintained at the HSE’s national office for High Support and Special Care.
If it is known that a young person was involved in more serious activities such as criminal damage, again this would be notified through the significant event protocol and the Gardaí would also be informed.
Where there are child protection concerns, these are notified via the Child Protection Notification System to the allocated social worker, the HSE nominated child protection officer, the HSE monitor for high support, the senior management team and any other person with a bona fide interest in the young person. The allocated social worker is responsible for investigating the child protection concerns and informing the high support unit of the outcome.
25. Deputy Michael Colreavy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs her views on the suitability of direct provision centres for child and family accommodation of asylum seekers; if she has urged the Department for Justice and Equality to introduce an independent complaints mechanism and independent inspection office of direct provision centres in order to ensure the highest standards of welfare and protection, particularly of children; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21776/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn the first instance, I would like to clarify that the Reception and Integration Agency (RIA) is a functional unit of the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS), a division of the Department of Justice and Equality. RIA is charged with providing accommodation and ancillary services to asylum seekers, that is, adults and their children, under the Direct Provision system while their applications for asylum are processed. I am advised that Direct Provision centres are monitored three times a year, twice by Department of Justice staff and once by an external company.
The revised Children First: National Guidance for the Protection and Welfare of Children was published in July, 2011. The Guidance deals with the recognition, reporting and management of child welfare and safety concerns. It sets out a number of key messages relating to the duty to protect children and support their welfare. The scope of Children First extends beyond the reporting of suspected neglect, abuse and welfare concerns. It emphasises the importance of multi disciplinary, inter-agency working in the management of such concerns. Key to this is the sharing of information between agencies and disciplines in the best interests of children and the need for full co-operation to ensure better outcomes.
The HSE has advised me that concerns about the welfare, safety or wellbeing of a child in Direct Provision are reported to the HSE Children and Family Services, in line with Children First. Referrals include welfare concerns such as a parent being hospitalised, parental illness, a child being left unsupervised by an adult or mental health concerns regarding the parent, while a smaller number would relate to child protection concerns.
There is a specific unit within RIA -the Child and Family Services Unit - whose role is to manage, deliver, co-ordinate, monitor and plan all matters relating to child and family services for all asylum seekers residing in the direct provision system. This unit also links, where necessary, directly with an Garda Síochána.
I would like to assure the Deputy that I have had ongoing contact with my colleague, the Minister for Justice and Law Reform and that senior officials within my Department have engaged with the HSE, to ensure that children who residing in Direct Provision are afforded the same levels of welfare and protection that their counterparts in the wider community are afforded.
