Written answers
Tuesday, 20 January 2015
Department of Children and Youth Affairs
Children in Care
Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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357. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the extent to which he remains satisfied regarding the welfare of children in State care; the number and location of children in State care; if adequate support services remain available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2745/15]
James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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The Child and Family Agency has a statutory duty under the Child Care Act 1991 to promote the welfare of children who are not receiving adequate care and protection and, if necessary, to receive a child into the care of the State. I am satisfied that the Agency takes its responsibility regarding the welfare of children in care very seriously and that there is a robust framework of regulations and standards, to ensure that children are placed in safe and caring settings. All children in care should have an allocated social worker but it is important to note that if a child has not been allocated a social worker then the cases are reviewed regularly by the principal social worker and are often managed by duty social work teams to ensure the necessary services are being addressed. I would note that the social work services provided under the auspices of the Child and Family Agency are separate from other services, including social, medical and educational services, that a child may require. These services are accessed or continue to be accessed while the child is in care.
The number of children in state care, as of 31 October 2014 was 6,454 and the majority of these children, 93%, were in foster care placements. The number of children in care by area is given in the table below.
| Area | Children in Care |
|---|---|
| Dublin Mid-Leinster | 1,532 |
| Dublin North East | 1,496 |
| South | 1,965 |
| West | 1,461 |
| Total | 6,454 |
In addition to the inspection regime which gives us information on how standards are being addressed by individual services, the Child and Family Agency has developed a suite of performance indicators to allow policy makers and practitioners to monitor service provision and these are published on the Agency website, www.tusla.ie. As the majority of children in care are in foster care family settings in the community, indicators of stability of the placement and participation in education are useful in monitoring the performance of the Agency in relation to overall welfare. I am happy to say that the Child and Family Agency has reported that the results for these indicators are positive and show that placement stability is very high and participation in education is on a par with the national participation rates.
I am satisfied that the necessary services and supports are in place to ensure the protection and welfare of children in State care, and that we have the structures in place to regulate and inspect service provision. I am also satisfied that my Department and the Agency continue to drive both improvements in the quality of the care services and the quality of the experience for children in care through a partnership approach with services, children and non-governmental bodies.
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