Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 18 October 2016
676. Deputy Anne Rabbitte asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, has any data on the number of young persons with care experience aged 17 to 24 years who have children who are now in care; and the supports her Department can provide and ensure will be provided to these parents in order to give them the best opportunity of parenting their children. [30908/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe information requested on young parents with care experience who have children in care is not collected nationally by Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. Aftercare is provided to all eligible young people leaving care which includes advice, guidance and practical (including accommodation and financial) support. The additional needs and supports required would be taken into account when the young person is a parent. Tusla has advised that 91% of 18-22 years olds in aftercare at the end of June 2016 were in stable accommodation, which includes young care leavers with children.
Every year, between 450 and 500 young adults leave the care of the State. The majority of those are currently eligible for an aftercare plan. The Government has decided to amend the legislative provisions regarding aftercare. The purpose of the new legislation is to ensure that an after care plan, developed before the young person leaves care, identifies their care needs and that appropriate supports are put in place.
Funding is made available to support a young person leaving care who is to remain on with their foster family as part of their aftercare plan. In other cases, funding supports are available to facilitate independent living or supported lodgings. Additional supports are also provided by other State bodies such as young adults leaving care aged 18-24 receive a higher rate of jobseekers allowance than other job seekers of the same age.
Tusla has continued to develop its aftercare service since the introduction of its National Leaving and Aftercare Policy of 2011. The implementation of this policy has seen the introduction of new practices, including the establishment of steering groups, which are area based multidisciplinary teams who provide a forum to ensure enhanced inter-agency partnership to meet the needs of young people leaving care and aftercare, as well as the standardisation of the aftercare allowance. Under this policy, the circumstances where a care leaver who is also a parent is addressed as part of the assessment of need.
