Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy tor his question, which relates to a report published on 4 December on the important subject of separated children seeking asylum. I wish to take this opportunity to note that children who arrive with their families and seek asylum remain in the care and custody of their parents.

It is also worth noting that some of the referrals made to Tusla in respect of separated children seeking asylum are found to relate either to young people over the age of 18 or to those who are reunited with a parent or guardian who is already in the country. As the Deputy knows, where a young person is under 18, they are taken into the care of Tusla.

The Tusla separated children seeking asylum team has developed an effective model of working with the affected children and young people to identify the supports they need. I am satisfied that the care provided to separated children seeking asylum is of a high standard and equal to that provided to other children in care. The report notes specifically that the standard of assessment and the provision of services provided to separated children in Ireland compare favourably to those provided in many European jurisdictions.

All separated children seeking asylum are assessed by a social worker from the specialist team working with these children on the day of their referral arrival and are placed in the care of Tusla. The immigration arrangements of young asylum seekers, mainly in the age group of 15 to 17 years, are considered in the broader, holistic context of the child's needs.

Many of these children may have high levels of vulnerability and have experienced trauma. Many face problems and challenges on issues including separation and bereavement from family and friends, social isolation, language barriers, emotional and mental health problems, discrimination and racism. In addition, they must live with the anxiety brought on by their possible removal from the country or uncertainty as to their future.

Based on a clinical decision approach, they may be deemed to need a period of stability and care before being supported in making their application for residency.

The new single procedures that have been put in place in the wake of the International Protection Act have seen significant improvements in waiting times for young people, especially those in aftercare. Of the 93 aftercare cases currently open to Tusla's team for separated children's aftercare service, 70 have some form of residency permission.

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