Mr. Gerry Hone:

I agree. We need that. Every tool we can put into the toolbox that helps and supports carers like that would be a useful development for fostering. There was a project in Sligo-Leitrim when I was area manager there called day foster care. You could be a foster carer who is out working and the child could go into day foster care during the day, and they would look after the arrangements during the day. You then pick the child up in the evening. It is almost like a childcare arrangement. That worked well. That sort of peer support and mutual support between foster carers to get that level of support to allow that to happen was very important. Those things are worth exploring.