Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Question 63: To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she liaises with other Departments in respect of the problem of youth homelessness; the joint initiatives under way, if any; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26074/11]

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 80: To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will report on progress made in the implementation of the youth homelessness strategy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26075/11]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 63 and 80 together.

My Department, together with the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government and service providers engaged in addressing the problem of youth homelessness met at the end of May, to assess and review the current demand for services, the progress made to date under the Youth Homelessness Strategy 2001 and the need to address any outstanding service deficits. This workshop was very beneficial in getting the views of stakeholders and arising out of the priorities identified on the day, work will commence shortly on a high level review of the 2001 strategy. This review will form the basis for the development of an implementation framework to address youth homelessness over the next 5 years.

It is appropriate that some ten years after the National Strategy for Youth Homelessness was developed in 2001, we review progress and set new targets. A review of progress in 2008 by the HSE in conjunction with other agencies found that significant progress had been made, especially in interagency cooperation, early prevention and an 'out of hours' service. A standardised system is in place whereby 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. The service is designed to ensure that children presenting as 'at risk' outside of normal working hours are provided with an appropriate emergency place of safety, thereby reducing or eliminating social admissions of children in an acute hospital setting.

In addition, a pilot out-of-hours social work service is being tested in two locations as provided for in the Implementation Plan published following the Report of the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse.

It is acknowledged that there remain serious information deficits with regard to the number of children accessing services. Work is underway to improve the quality of information on the number of young people under 18 years who are homeless, and to establish what areas of the service are working well and where further improvements are needed. The review now being undertaken by my Department will address these requirements.