Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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382. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of children and young persons who have presented at homeless services in the past year; and if he will provide, in tabular form, figures on the number of young persons who have left State care and who have presented at homeless services in the past year in comparison with the years 2010 to 2014, inclusive. [5905/15]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy can appreciate, policy responsibility for homelessness, insofar as it extends to my Department, relates to children under 18 and any child welfare and protection concerns that may arise in the context of the Child Care Act 1991. A child can only be received into the care of the Child and Family Agency where there are welfare or protection concerns. Homelessness as part of a family group is not, in of itself, a basis for seeking to receive a child into care. Responsibility for young adults (aged over 18 years) presenting as homeless lies primarily with the local authorities and the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government. In light of this, I have been advised by the Agency that it does not collect the data requested by the Deputy and cannot provide it in the format as requested.

I would note, however, that where a child under 18 years of age presents as homeless and it is not possible to reunite them with their family, then the child may be taken into care. In some circumstances, a child aged 16 or 17 years of age may be accommodated and supported by the Agency under section 5, accommodation of homeless children, of the Child Care Act 1991. The Child and Family Agency does capture some information on children aged 16 and 17 years presenting as homeless and who are referred to the Agency under section 5 of the Child Care Act 1991. The Agency advises that there were 26 children who were accommodated under section 5 of the Act in the year to the end of the third quarter of 2014. The regional breakdown reported was 1 in Dublin Mid-Leinster, 5 in Dublin North East, 13 in the South and 7 in the West. Figures for previous years can be found in the Review of Adequacy reports published under section 8 of the Act.

Young adults, generally in the age range of 18 to 23 years old, who were formerly in the care of the State and presently in receipt of aftercare services will, as part of this support, have their accommodation needs identified. As of September 2014, the Agency reported that there were 1,698 young adults aged 18 to 23 in receipt of an aftercare service and education participation in this group was on a par with the national participation rate of 56%. In respect of homelessness, I have been advised by the Agency that it does not collect statistics on young adults (over 18 years) who present themselves as such to local authorities.

Last year, a protocol was established between the County and City Management Association and the Child and Family Agency in relation to the assessment of housing needs for young people leaving care. The aim of the protocol is to make the assessment and allocation of social housing, where deemed to be the most appropriate response to the young person’s need, more efficient and seamless. It is hoped this will facilitate an improved service for those leaving care in obtaining social housing suitable to their needs.