Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Question 298: To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of children in each of the local health office community care areas that have been placed as a private arrangement with relatives by Health Service Executive social workers. [14116/11]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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Under the Children Act, 2001 a "private foster care arrangement" means any arrangement or undertaking whereby a child is for more than 14 days in the full time care, for reward or otherwise, of a person other than his or her parent or guardian, a person cohabiting with a parent or guardian or a relative. The person arranging or undertaking a private foster care arrangement shall give notice to the HSE not less than thirty days before the placement or in cases of an unforeseen emergency, by both the person making the arrangement and the person undertaking the arrangement as soon as practicable and not more than 14 days after the placement. These children are not in the care of the State and the HSE does not make these private foster care arrangements with relatives.

The HSE ensures that the person undertaking the arrangement is complying with his or her duty to take all reasonable measures to safeguard the child's health, safety and welfare. In cases where the HSE believes that such measures are not being taken, it may apply to the District Court for a supervision order, to take the child into the care of the State or the return of the child to his or her parents or guardian, as appropriate.

Where a child is in the care of the State, the HSE will, where possible, place a child in foster care. In the first instance, the HSE will seek a suitable relative or person known to the child to provide relative care. Relative carers go through an assessment and approval, in a similar way to general foster carers. The child is allocated a social worker who visits regularly and a Care Plan is developed and reviewed regularly based on the needs and wishes of the child. Currently foster/relative care services are provided directly by the HSE or by private foster care agencies on behalf of the HSE.