Billy Timmins (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Question 180: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the position regarding the Child Care (Amendment) Bill 2009 whereby, at present, the Health Service Executive may continue to provide after-care to young persons coming out of care when they reach 18 years, but many of our most vulnerable young persons are effectively abandoned when they reach 18, a time at which they are particularly vulnerable to homelessness and the concomitant risk of drug addiction and crime; if the Child Care (Amendment) Bill 2009 will include a provision which would oblige the HSE to provide after-care support to every young person who needs it; her views on a submission by an organisation (details supplied) that guaranteeing after-care is not just the right thing to do, but is also cost-effective, and the fact that the availability of after-care to young people leaving State care is one of the key recommendations of the Ryan report on child abuse (recommendation 17), which all political parties have pledged to implement; if the recommendation will be included; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9885/10]

Barry Andrews (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I am giving consideration to the legal position with regard to the provision of aftercare services, having regard to the existing legislative provisions as set out in the Child Care Act 1991. I had a positive meeting recently with Focus Ireland in this regard.

The Report of the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse, 2009 Implementation Plan states:

The provision of aftercare by the HSE should form an integral part of care delivery for children who have been in the care of the state. It should not be seen as a discretionary service or as a once-off event that occurs on a young person's 18th birthday.

The report makes the following recommendations in relation to aftercare:

- The HSE will ensure the provision of aftercare services for children leaving care in all instances where the professional judgment of the allocated social worker determines it is required;

- The HSE will, with their consent, conduct a longitudinal study to follow young people who leave care for 10 years, to map their transition to adulthood;

- The HSE and the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government will review the approach to prioritising identified at-risk young people leaving care and requiring local authority housing;

- The HSE will ensure care plans include aftercare planning for all young people of 16 years and older;

- The HSE will ensure that aftercare planning identifies key workers in other health services to which a young person is referred, for example, disability and mental health services;

- The OMCYA, in conjunction with the HSE, will consider how best to provide necessary once-off supports for care leavers to gain practical lifelong skills.

In line with the Government commitment as reflected in the Ryan Implementation Plan funding of €1.0m was set aside by the HSE in its 2010 Service Plan, for the development of aftercare services in 2010.