Ms Nuala Ward:

The Senator has made a very valid point in seeking the extension of the GAL role to provide support to children until they have reached 23 years. We already know that the brains of young people are still developing at the age mentioned. We ourselves have engaged in respect of aftercare. Children in education are doing okay. If they can go to education and stay in school then that is fantastic support but we are deeply concerned about the lack of support for children who are not in education. Why are the children who have fallen off, who are homeless, in addiction or in Oberstown not getting equivalent support? It feels like the provision is the wrong way around because these children need much more intense support and, hopefully, eventually they might get into education or employment and have a GAL.

On the Senator's point about family first, she is so right. These children, as much as they can, should be kept within their family home. We know that is the best outcome for them. What we have really flagged very strongly over the last two years with the Department is the need to invest in kinship care. I mean the grannies, aunts, uncles and granddads who are looking after these children. That is an invaluable resource that we are not even vaguely supporting. That care keeps children not with their direct family but within the family network. That is a really important point as well and the Senator is absolutely right that we should try to keep children at home with their siblings. That is the one other issue that is raised with us as well. Young people have told us that when they are taken into care that a lot of the time there is not enough emphasis placed on keeping them in contact with their siblings. It can be very challenging for children when siblings are split up.