Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Question 202: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the number of foster homes here. [25878/09]

Barry Andrews (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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As this is a service matter it has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Question 203: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the number of foster homes that have been inspected by the Health Information and Quality Authority since 2007; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25879/09]

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Question 204: To ask the Minister for Health and Children her plans to increase the number of the Health Information and Quality Authority inspectors to inspect foster care services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25880/09]

Barry Andrews (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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Responsibility for the inspection of foster services rests with the Social Services Inspectorate (SSI) of the Authority. It is important to stress that it is the foster service as opposed to the foster home which is inspected. The foster home is but one component in this robust process which also includes interviews with children in foster care and their foster carers, an assessment of social work records, and detailed interviews with the two branches of social services related to fostering — child and family social workers and the fostering team. On the basis of this process, judgement is reached in respect of the foster service provided. In general, inspections of foster services have demonstrated a high standard of care being provided.

The number of children in foster care, across a high number of individual homes, precludes the inspection of every home, and as a result the SSI team have implemented a rigorous methodology to select a representative sample of services for inspection based on the profile of children in these services. Full details of all inspections are freely accessible and in the public domain. The reports can be downloaded from the Authority's website at www.hiqa.ie

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Question 205: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the number of children who were placed under supervision orders by the Courts since January 2008; the number of these that are still residing with their families; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25884/09]

Barry Andrews (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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As this is a service matter it has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Question 206: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the date on which the emergency place of safety service will commence. [25887/09]

Barry Andrews (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I am advised by the HSE that the Emergency Place of Safety Service commenced on 5th June 2009. Under this arrangement the Gardaí can access an appropriate place of safety for children found to be at risk out of hours under Section 12 of the Child Care Act 1991.

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Question 207: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if she will initiate legislation to ensure a legal right to after-care to support young people making the transition from care to independent living. [25888/09]

Barry Andrews (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The Government has accepted all of the recommendations of the Report of the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse and is committed to their full implementation. Included in the recommendations is the provision of aftercare services. As Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, I have been tasked with developing a plan for the implementation of the recommendations. Aftercare for young people leaving the care of the State will be considered in the context of the implementation plan. The plan will be brought to Government by the end of July.