Sharon Keogan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

On those children who are in special care and who might be in Oberstown or whatever, they have a multidisciplinary team around them. When a child is in care after the age of 18 he or she may go off to college and may reside in Tusla accommodation. The safety net of that child is completely taken away and that person is now his or her own advocate. Some of the children, when they are in care, their voice really has not been heard right along the system. They have had someone like me - a foster parent who has advocated for them all the time - or a guardian ad litem.. When the guardian ad litem is gone then the foster parent has absolutely no say about the care of children. These children are very important as well and we have got them to 18 years but it would be great for the guardian ad litem to continue working with them to keep people on the right path right up until the age of 23. Such an initiative would ensure a greater chance for these people to achieve a positive life outcome but if we drop that ball then there is a risk. It is okay for people to get a degree but if they cannot get mental health supports then there will be a fall, which I have seen happen. I have seen this happen to children that I have fostered. People will fall. It might happen at 26 or 27 years or later in life but people will fall and there is no one there to provide support. If a person has a guardian ad litem from the age of 18 to 23 then it would act as a safety net for anyone leaving the services at 18.