Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
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Question 345: To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs with regard to the new Assessment, Consultation and Therapy Service proposed by the Health Service Executive to address the mental health needs of children in detention and children in special care, the number of the promised 29.5 WTE staff for this service that are now in place; whether a national director for the new service has been appointed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22800/12]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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The Implementation plan, published in 2009 in response to the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse (Ryan Implementation Plan), included a commitment to the establishment by the HSE in consultation with the Irish Youth Justice Service (IYJS) of a national therapeutic and multidisciplinary care team for children in detention and special care. The specialist multidisciplinary team could also provide an in-reach service to boys aged 16 and 17 years who are detained in St Patrick's Institution. It also states that the HSE will review need and establish resourced multidisciplinary assessment teams for children and young people at risk.

The HSE has been fully funded for this service, as part of the funding provided in respect of the Ryan Implementation Plan. The HSE has committed in its National Service Plan for 2012 to completing the establishment of this team. The recruitment of a national manager for this service is currently underway. Interviews for the post were held last week and it is expected that this post will be filled very soon. Once the national manager is in place, the other posts for this service will be filled by appointing successful applicants who have been placed on panels for these positions.

Children who are detained in secure units need a specialist multidisciplinary team to provide assessment and intervention. Many of these children and young people require therapeutic work to enable them to begin to deal with the impact of abuse and other traumatic events, including multiple placement breakdown and significant loss through separation or bereavement. This key national service will ensure all children placed in secure care, whether on welfare or offending grounds, will have access to specialist clinical interventions in line with their assessed individual needs. The national service is an essential support towards meeting the needs of these most vulnerable children.