Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Fine Gael)
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495. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the current estimate of the number of children, under the age of 18, who are homeless in Dublin; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19757/13]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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Children who are referred to as homeless generally fall into three groups; (i) children who mainly reside with their families but due to an emergency, need care and accommodation immediately, (ii) children and young people who are defined as at risk of homelessness i.e. who may be staying with different friends and acquaintances, who do not have a suitable base and (iii) children and young people who are found to be 'sleeping rough'.

Emergency and Homeless Services are provided in the greater Dublin area through the Crisis Intervention Service (CIS) and outside the greater Dublin area through the Emergency Place of Safety Service (EPSS). The HSE has put in place a standardised national system whereby Gardaí can access an appropriate place of safety for children found to be at risk out of hours under Section 12 of the Child Care Act 1991.

The CIS provides an out-of-hours emergency social work service to young people aged under 18 years who are in crisis. The service operates across the greater Dublin area (Counties Dublin, Kildare and Wicklow). Referrals are made by service providers outside of normal working hours i.e. Gardaí, hospital and ambulance service personnel.

Outside the greater Dublin area, the HSE operates an Emergency Place of Safety (EPSS) whereby Gardaí can access an emergency placement for children found to be at risk under Section 12 of the Child Care Act 1991 out of hours. This service involves the out of hours placement of a child in a family setting until the next working day when the local social work service assumes responsibility for the case. As part of this service Gardaí have access to advice and information from a commissioned social work resource which is provided on a contract basis.

Where children under 18 are found to be out of home, a HSE social worker meets with the young person to establish why the young person left home, the potential for them returning home and to establish their physical. social and psychological well being, including any need for medical treatment or treatment for addictions. If the assessment establishes that the young person needs to be taken into care in order to have their needs met, they will be taken into care and placed in a residential or foster care placement.

Under Section 5 of the Child Care Act 1991,where it appears to the HSE that a child in its area is homeless, the HSE shall enquire into the child's circumstances. Where the HSE is satisfied that the child does not need to be taken into care, their needs are met by the provision of other supports and suitable accommodation under Section 5. Under the HSE policy on the use of Section 5, the child receives an accommodation, a key worker and a placement plan.

I am advised by the HSE that there was one child in Dublin being supported under Section 5 at the end of December 2012.