Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal North East, Sinn Fein)
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Question 93: To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will provide the details of the results of the audit of alternative care services. [8068/12]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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In 2011, the Health Service Executive (HSE) commissioned independent consultants to undertake a review of the capacity for alternative care services. The review examined services for Special Care, High Support, Foster Care, Residential Care, Emergency Care, Out of Hours, Aftercare and Separated Children Seeking Asylum. The purpose of the review was to audit the current need and current capacity for alternative care services and to establish the projected need for care placements in the HSE for the period 2011 to end 2013. It also made recommendations regarding the development of services to meet the projected needs for the period 2011 – end 2013.

The audit was undertaken last March and the report has been finalised recently. I expect to receive a copy of this report shortly and it is anticipated that the HSE will publish the report in due course.