Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I join the Minister in acknowledging the great work done by foster carers. Where a family situation breaks down, the best available option is generally another family placement rather than institutional care.

One of the reasons suggested to me as to why some foster carer applicants subsequently withdraw their name is that in some parts of the country the process takes a ridiculous length of time. In fact, I understand it can take up to two years before an assessment even commences. People will make an inquiry at a particular point in their lives, but their situation might be much different two years later. This logjam is apparently largely a consequence of the shortage of social workers throughout the country. We are essentially losing potentially good foster carer candidates because their generous offer is not being taken up in a timely fashion. In losing applicants from the system in this way, we might well be denying children an opportunity to live in a foster home, whether for a short-term or longer-term placement.

Another issue of concern relates to the thoroughness of oversight by social worker teams. I understand the average ratio of social workers to foster carers is approximately 1:15. In some parts of the country, however, oversight consists merely of a telephone call to the potential foster carer. That is storing up the types of problems we have seen historically in this country. It is not good enough to have a situation where oversight involves no face-to-face contact but merely a telephone call. Irrespective of whether or not the applicant is a family member - to give an example where it might be assumed that rather less oversight might perhaps be needed - we must always keep the welfare of the child front and centre. Will the Minister comment on how she intends to ensure the types of lengthy delays we have seen are reduced and that oversight is effective and reliable?

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