Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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In June 2009 the Health Service Executive established the Emergency Place of Safety Service (EPSS) whereby Gardaí, acting under the provisions of Section 12 of the Child Care Act 1991, can access an appropriate place of safety placement for children found to be at risk out-of-hours (outside normal working hours, 6pm- 9am Monday to Friday and weekends and public holidays). The Emergency Place of Safety Service placements are provided by Five Rivers Ireland as an agent for the Child and Family Agency. The service operates in all areas with the exception of Counties Dublin, Kildare and Wicklow where the existing Crisis Intervention Service (CIS) already provides an Out-of-Hours service.

In 2011, the HSE Children and Family Services established emergency Out-of- Hours Pilot Projects in Cork and Donegal. Following consideration of the outcome of these pilot initiatives the development of a National Out- of-Hours model of service is to be progressed. The 2014 Letter of Determination and Performance Statement which I issued to the Agency identified the roll-out of a model Out-of-Hours service throughout the country as one of the key priority reforms to be advanced this year.

The Agency is in the process of finalising plans to establish the Emergency Out-of-Hours Social Work Service to co-operate with and support the Garda Síochána in the execution of their duties and responsibilities under section 12(3) of the Child Care Act, 1991. The proposal will provide the Garda Síochána with the following:

- a national Call Centre providing social work consultation and advice;

- access to a local on-call social worker and

- placements for children under Section 12(3) of the Child Care Act, 1991.

The service will conform with relevant Child Care Regulations and with the National Standards for Foster Care.