Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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40. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of persons in receipt of aftercare services in the State as a whole and in the Dublin north east Health Service Executive region; and if there has been progress in realising legislative change on aftercare provision. [47702/13]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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Section 45 of the Child Care Act 1991 places a statutory duty on the HSE to form a view in relation to each person leaving care as to whether there is a "need for assistance" and if it forms such a view, to provide services in accordance with the legislation and subject to resources. Aftercare is the support put in place to meet the needs of a young adult who is leaving statutory care at 18 years of age, to assist him/her in making the transition to independent living. The most important requirements for young people leaving care are for continuity of relationships, secure, suitable accommodation as well as further education, employment or training. The provision of an appropriate aftercare service has been highlighted as a key element to achieving positive outcomes for young people leaving care. It is essential that all young people leaving care are provided with the type of transitional support that their individual situation requires. The HSE has advised me that at the end of September 2013, there were a total of 1,477 young adults in receipt of an aftercare service nationally, of whom 372 were receiving the service in the Dublin North East HSE region.

I am delighted to inform the Deputy that last week I obtained cabinet approval to my Department's policy proposal to strengthen the legislative provisions regarding aftercare. It is proposed to amend the Child Care Act, 1991 to provide for a statutory right to the preparation of an aftercare plan. The proposed amendment will provide clarity around eligibility and the arrangements for preparing, reviewing and updating the aftercare plan and monitoring of young care leavers that do not participate in the process. Work on developing the General Scheme for this legislative amendment will now commence in my Department.I believe that the measures approved by Government will strengthen existing practice and improve the outcomes for young people, especially those who are more vulnerable.