Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 55: To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of children who are currently being provided with specialist care overseas because the State does not have the facilities to provide them with the care needed; the names and locations of each of these overseas units; the cost of sending each child to this facility; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15111/12]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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Under the Child Care Act, 1991, the Health Service Executive has a duty to promote the welfare of children who are not receiving adequate care or protection. The policy of the HSE is to place children in care settings, preferably in foster care, as close as possible to their home and community. The vast majority of children in care are in foster care and residential care.

Some children have highly specialised needs arising from severe behaviour difficulties, in some cases as a result of injury, accident or disability or in others due to their childhood experiences. The care needs of these children are generally met by directly provided services or services commissioned by the HSE within Ireland. From time to time the HSE places children in single residential placements with specialised therapeutic inputs from child psychiatry and psychology to meet the needs of the children. There are three designated special care units in the country: Ballydowd in Dublin, Glenn Álainn in Cork and Coovagh House in Limerick where children are detained on order of the high court for their own safety.

In addition, there are two designated national High Support Units at Crannog Nua, Portrane in north County Dublin and Rath na nÓg in Castleblayney, Co Monaghan. These units provide, through on site education, higher staff ratios and therapeutic inputs an individualised programme of support for children and young people with exceptional needs through the provision of a time-limited, therapeutic intervention in a secure or non-secure environment as appropriate. The HSE has developed a business plan for the delivery of a national Special Care Services with a particular focus on improving governance and development and innovation. The business plan highlights the importance of improving the model of service delivery to develop a service that can cater for the needs of these most vulnerable and challenging children.

For a small number of children, the HSE is on occasion, required to make arrangements for the placement of children in care and treatment facilities outside of the State, primarily in the UK, to allow for access to an individually tailored mix of psychiatric treatment, care and therapeutic services not available in this country. This is done on as infrequent a basis as possible and only where such placement is considered to be in the best interest of the child. I should emphasise that the referral of persons abroad for specialised therapeutic interventions is an established feature within our health and social care system and decisions in each case are made in the best interests of the individual. The level of requirement for these services is closely monitored by the National Director and my officials.

I am advised by the HSE that there were 4 young people detained in secure accommodation in Scotland, 1 in secure accommodation in England, and 2 in a Mental Health facility in England as of 13 March 2012. It is considered that it would be inappropriate to provide further details regarding the names and locations of these placements. The HSE ensure that these placements are suitable and the child's social worker visits regularly, and makes arrangements for family or carers of the child to also visit. The units in which the children are placed are inspected and regulated by their national authorities and the HSE is attentive to the standards of care delivered in these specialised units.