Sandra McLellan (Cork East, Sinn Fein)
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To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the extent of aftercare provided; the length of same to young persons who have been resident in high support and special care unit residential places up to their eighteenth birthday; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46759/12]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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The national HSE aftercare policy 2012 states that all young people are assessed for an aftercare service from 16 years onwards. The length of time an aftercare service is provided is dependent upon the assessed needs of the young person, but is generally provided for up to the age of 21 years or 23 if the young person is in education. Young people in special care and high support have an equitable right to the aftercare service, based on their assessed needs, as any other child in care.

The HSE aftercare policy sets out that young people over 16 years of age will have an assessment of need carried out and a leaving aftercare developed. This plan is then put into place when the young person leaves care at 18 regardless of the type of setting from which they are discharged. A young person may access the after care service for an assessment of need at any time up to age 21 even where they have not taken up an offer of aftercare services when they left care at age 18. As stated above, the basis of the service is an individual needs assessment which identifies a young person’s need for accommodation, financial support, social network support and training and education. The level of support required will vary for each individual from advice to accommodation to further education, employment or training and social support. Many young people in foster care remain in their foster care placement as their aftercare support.

The HSE National Aftercare Service is underpinned by a National Policy and Procedures Document which was developed in co-operation with the key stakeholders, including the voluntary sector agencies representing children in care and those involved in aftercare provision and my Department. The policy commits to promoting and achieving the best outcomes for young people leaving care and in ensuring consistency of support to these young people.