Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs in the context of the pending children's first legislation and the vetting legislation and the need for child protection for all children, if she will give a commitment that she will introduce regulation for all child minders regardless of the number of children been cared for; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44680/12]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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The Children First National Guidance for the Protection and Welfare of Children, which I published in 2011, provides clarity and guidance for individuals and organisations in identifying and responding appropriately to child abuse and neglect. It also sets out what organisations that care for or work with children should do to ensure they are safe whilst in the care of the organisation. The Government has committed, as a priority, to the introduction of legislation to underpin Children First.

The Deputy will be aware that I published the Heads of the Children First Bill in April 2012. The purpose of the Bill is to ensure that organisations and professionals who work with children have a statutory responsibility to report reasonable concerns about the abuse or neglect of children in their care to the HSE Child and Family Services.

I asked the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children to consider the Heads of the Children First Bill and make recommendations. I received their comprehensive Report in July and I thank the Committee for its work on this matter. My Department is currently considering the broad range of submissions to, and recommendations of the Joint Committee, including those submissions pertaining to the issue of childminders.

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the current staffing levels within the Health Service Executive child protection inspectorate in tabular form on a county basis; the frequency with which inspections are carried out on various child care centres; and if it is her intention to moving this service to the new child and family agency. [44681/12]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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Under the Child Care Act, 1991, the Health Service Executive (HSE) has a statutory duty to promote the welfare of children who are not receiving adequate care and protection. If any child is in need of care and protection and is unlikely to receive it at home, the HSE has a duty to ensure they receive appropriate care.

Where a child is coming into care the HSE allocated social worker undertakes a full assessment of need, and on this basis the statutory care plan is developed. This assessment will call on a full range of professionals where required to set out a comprehensive statement of the child's needs. The care plan also determines the support and interventions needed with regard to the family situation where it is planned that a child will return home. The care plan also directs the placement most appropriate to the needs of the child.

Children in residential care are placed in open residential centres run by either the HSE or private/voluntary providers in communities across the country. The National Standards for Children's Residential Centres clearly set out that the social worker and the centre manager are satisfied that the placement is suitable, will meet the needs of the young person and takes account of the need to protect young people from abuse by their peers. The HSE is responsible for the registration and inspection of private or voluntary (non-statutory) run residential centres for children and the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) inspects centres operated by the HSE. Centres are inspected under the National Standards.

The Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) was established under the Health Act, 2007 and replaced the Social Services Inspectorate. HIQA is an independent authority responsible for driving quality, safety and accountability in services for children, older people and people with disabilities in Ireland. HIQA develops standards for Ministerial approval, monitors compliance with standards and carries out investigations where they believe there are reasonable grounds to do so. HIQA inspects children’s residential centres, special care units and foster care settings against the National Standards for Children's Residential Centres, National Standards for Special Care Units and the National Standards for Foster Care. HIQA publishes their inspection reports on their website.

In July 2010, the Government decided to prioritise the inspection of child protection by the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA). These inspections will be undertaken against standards to be developed by HIQA as provided for under Section 8 of the Health Act 2007. HIQA commenced work on drafting National Standards for the Protection and Welfare of Children and convened a Standards Advisory Group to advise on their development. The Advisory Group, which comprises a wide representation of people from the health and social care sector met several times and the Child Protection and Welfare Standards were published in July 2012. My department was involved in advising HIQA. It is expected that the first inspections by HIQA based on the standards for child protection will take place by the end of the year. The inspection responsibility of HIQA will continue with the new Child and Family Support Agency.