Patrick Nulty (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 152: To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs in relation to the ten children in detention in the UK and Nebraska in specialised units as a result of High Court Detention Orders, the reason sufficient secure places are not available in this jurisdiction; the measures he is taking to ensure that sufficient places will be made available urgently; his policy or evidence based criteria that supports the practice of sending Irish children abroad to be detained; if it would be more cost effective to provide secure places in this jurisdiction; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30213/12]

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. There were 6,236 children in the care of the state in April 2012, the vast majority of whom were in foster care (5,601) and residential care (378).

A very small minority of young people under 18 years of age have highly specialised needs arising from severe behaviour difficulties, due to their childhood experiences or in some cases as a result of injury, accident or disability. The care needs of these young people are generally met by directly provided residential services or services commissioned by the HSE within Ireland.

For a small number of young people (ten at present), the HSE is on occasion required to make arrangements for their placement in care and treatment facilities outside of the State, primarily in the UK, to allow for access to an individually tailored mix of care and therapeutic services and psychiatric treatment not currently 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. These placements are made under the order and supervision of the High Court.

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. 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 HSE's National Director for Children and Family Services and my officials.