Lucinda Creighton (Dublin South East, Fine Gael)
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Question 141: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the number of unaccompanied children seeking asylum who entered the State in 2010; the way these children were cared for; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2002/11]

Barry Andrews (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The immediate and the ongoing needs of separated children seeking asylum (SCSA) relating to accommodation, medical and social needs as well as their application for refugee status are the responsibility of the Health Service Executive (HSE) in accordance with the Refugee Act, 1996 (as amended) and the Child Care Act, 1991.

Where children are identified by An Garda Síochána, at the point of entry, the circumstances are investigated and if there are any concerns about the welfare of the child, they are placed into the care of the HSE.

In accordance with the commitment contained in the Implementation Plan on the Report of the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse, 2009, the Health Service Executive has phased out the hostel type of care arrangement for separated children seeking asylum with the two remaining hostels that provided accommodation to separated children closing on 31 December 2010. A new process has been put in place by the HSE, which aims to ensure that all newly arriving children under 12 years will be placed in a foster care placement. Newly arrived children over the age of 12 years will be placed in one of the four intake residential units for up to at most four weeks, where a preliminary assessment of the child and their needs will be carried out by a social worker in conjunction with qualified residential social care staff. This assessment will inform the most appropriate care option, and determine if the child will need additional supports/links.

The HSE has developed a national policy on the standards and services to be provided to separated children seeking asylum. The policy seeks to achieve equity and equality of services to separated children seeking asylum vis-À-vis indigenous or resident children and to ensure that there is no differentiation of care provision, care practices, care priorities, standards or protocols. The HSE appointed a senior manager with responsibility for managing these changes and developments on a full time basis.

The number of unaccompanied children seeking asylum who were placed into the care of the HSE is a service matter and has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.