Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal North East, Sinn Fein)
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To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if the report she has requested the National Director for Children and Family Services to prepare on aftercare provision, including best practice, assessment criteria and most effective aftercare supports has been completed; the date on which this will be published; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [56769/12]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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The Deputy will be aware that I am currently examining options, in association with the Attorney General, to strengthen legislation to make explicit the HSE's obligations in the provision of aftercare. In this regard, the National Director for Children and Family Services in the HSE was asked to prepare a report on aftercare to guide the development of policy to underpin the strengthening of legislation for services in this important area. The HSE responded to my Department at the end of November in relation to the key findings of the National Implementation Group and provided information on the current provision of aftercare, assessment of need, multi-agency working and the HSE policy regarding Section 5 of the Child Care Act 1991, which provides that the HSE must take all reasonable steps to make suitable accommodation available to a child who is in need of accommodation. The response of the HSE provides an important update on the significant progress in developing aftercare supports, the development of greater consistency nationally and the challenges in making supports available to individual young people, including the need for multi-agency cooperation and the need to take account of the views of those leaving care who, ultimately as young adults must wish to avail of the aftercare arrangements being made available.

The HSE National Aftercare Service which is underpinned by a National Policy and Procedures Document, commits to promoting and achieving the best outcomes for young people leaving care and in ensuring consistency of support to these young people. An intra-agency National Aftercare Implementation Group, comprised of NGO groups representing aftercare, child advocacy, foster care and other groups, was established by the HSE to monitor progress in implementing the national policy.

The HSE has reported on the key findings of the National Implementation Group's review of aftercare provision. The review has shown that there is now a more systematic approach to ensuring that young people around age sixteen are identified through the care planning review process for assessment and through care planning. A standardised aftercare planning template is now being utilised nationally and this approach is helping to identify young people with special needs, such as learning disabilities, earlier and has led to good examples of interagency working. There have also been improvements in the statistical information available with additional new data being provided.While an aftercare service is provided across all areas, variations in how this is delivered and the level of aftercare allowances have been highlighted by the Group.

Currently the annual spend on aftercare is €17 million. The most recent information available indicates that there are 1,387 young people in aftercare, the majority of whom are aged 18-19 years. Most young people who were in foster care remain living with their foster carers supported financially by the HSE. Young people leaving residential care move into transitional accommodation, the private rental sector and supported lodgings. There are currently 42.2 whole time equivalent aftercare workers in the HSE, the majority of whom are in the west, with the others distributed relatively evenly across the other three regions. In addition, the HSE commissions aftercare services from Focus Ireland, Don Bosco and Cross Care.

The National Policy and Procedures Document sets out the eligibility criteria for an aftercare service. The care planing review process identifies young people as they approach 16 years and a process of assessment commences at that point, in conjunction with the wishes and views of the young person. Each individual is assessed across a number of areas, including life skills and capacity to live independently in the short and longer term; relationships with family, carers and significant others; emotional and behavioural development; health and overall wellbeing; identity and educational/training requirements.

The aftercare policy has a strong multi-agency dimension, which is particularly important in the context of the HSE Children and Family Services' transition to the Child and Family Support Agency. Protocols are being developed with Social Inclusion, Disability Services, Mental Health Services and Primary Care to support this approach. A protocol has been signed with the Irish Youth Justice Service which covers joint working arrangements for young people in Detention Schools. In addition, a protocol with the Housing Authorities which will set out a clear framework for identifying quality aftercare accommodation and commit local authorities to consider the needs of young care leavers is in the final stages of preparation.

Clearly, there have been improvements in the delivery of aftercare service and the issue is under ongoing active consideration by the National Implementation Group. My officials will continue to engage with the HSE to ensure that the service is addressing the needs of these vulnerable young people. I am happy to share the HSE response with the Deputy and to discuss proposals for the further development of policy in this area when the latest information on both the current service provision and the legal provisions is fully considered.