Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)

Some broad points have been raised about the child protection system in this country, particularly aftercare but also the overall system. As, Gordon Jeyes, director of the child and family services in the HSE has said, we need a child protection system that is fit for purpose. He also spoke last week about developing an Irish model of child protection. As the previous speaker and others indicated, such a model must have consistency of approach. There is much talk about the need for resources in this area but there is also a need to manage the resources well and consistently and to record data in a similar way across the country so that we can compare statistics, and that we know what we are talking about when figures come in from different parts of the country. It is clear that at the moment we do not have consistency, which is a challenge. It is not just about resources. It is also about management, practice, implementation and monitoring. I am determined that we will have a child protection system that is fit for purpose.

There are very good people working on the front line, good professionals who need support and supervision. We must also ensure that experienced professionals stay working at the front line of child protection and do not always disappear into management in the way that happens in the hospital system. We must ensure that high quality and top quality professional social workers remain working with child protection and bring their expertise into that area instead of leaving it to the most inexperienced social workers who often deal with the most complicated cases and situations. There is a job of work to be done. I reassure Senators that it is being done at the moment. That is the goal. A reconfiguration of services is going on which will continue when we create the new child and family agency.

There is extremely strong legal advice that under section 45 of the Child Care Act the HSE has a legal obligation to provide aftercare. That has been questioned but the advice is that where an assessment of need has been carried out on the provision of aftercare, it must be provided. Not every child or young person who leaves care will need aftercare. There is no question of that. Many just get on with their lives, but of course, like many young people when they reach 18 it is not simply a question of getting on with things on their own, many still need support either from their foster families - many of which continue to give that support - but, equally, the young people who leave residential care are most at risk. We have data from the child death review which is being carried out at the moment and which I expect to receive in a few months that this is a group which is particularly at risk.

I accept the points on aftercare. A national aftercare policy is currently being developed as well as a national implementation plan. A total of 45 aftercare workers are in place and a further ten are being recruited. We must match those 55 staff to where the need is greatest and collate the information on what they are doing and the needs that exist. Work is being done on the issue. I give a commitment to the House that if regulation by statute is necessary in order to ensure we develop proper aftercare services, as is the case in the North of Ireland, I will consider making provision for it in law so that it should be delivered if it is required. I will continue to monitor the situation in the meantime because it is a very important service. They are the main points I would like to make in response to what has been raised by Senators whom I thank for their contributions.