Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent)
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19. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the extent of the reduction in working hours of child care staff in residential care homes due to cuts in funding. [38728/13]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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When a child cannot live with his or her parents either on a short or long-term basis, the HSE will, in the first instance, seek a suitable relative or person known to the child to provide relative care. Where there is no relative or person known to the child to provide relative care, the HSE where possible, will place a child in foster care. For young people that are unable to live at home or in an alternative family environment residential care may be considered suitable. Residential care can be in a home run by the HSE or by a voluntary or private company.

There are approximately 140 Children's Residential Centres in operation. These centres are typically found in domestic homes in housing estates, on the outskirts of towns and villages. The centres typically have between 3 to 6 children. These children are usually in their teens. Children living in the centres attend at local schools and take part in local sporting and community activities. Staff work a shift system and young people are allocated a key-worker.

The HSE has advised me that no HSE Social Care Worker staff hours have been reduced due to cuts in funding.

All children's residential centres are inspected against National Standards for Children's Residential Centres developed by the Department of Health. The HSE inspect and register children's residential centres run by the private and voluntary sectors. HIQA inspects children's residential centres run by the HSE and inspection reports are published on the HIQA website.