Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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154. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he will provide an update on the resources being made available for aftercare services for children and young persons leaving State care. [7764/15]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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Aftercare is a term used to describe the planning and support put in place to meet the needs of a young person who is leaving statutory care at 18 years of age, to assist him/her in making the transition to independent living. Current aftercare provision incorporates advice, guidance and practical (including accommodation and financial) support. The Child Care Act 1991 provides that the core eligible age range for aftercare is from 18 years up to 21 years. The Agency has advised me that a number of areas of action have been prioritised and work has commenced on the development of dedicated aftercare services, on the standardisation of a range of financial packages, on the introduction of Aftercare Steering Committees at local level, and on the further development of the provision of information on aftercare services in Ireland.

The Agency has further advised that at December, 2014, excluding staff costs, approximately €14.3 million was spent on the provision of statutory aftercare services.

Between 450 and 500 young people leave care annually upon turning 18. According to the Child and Family Agency, at the end of September, 2014 there were 1,698 young people aged 18 to 23 years (inclusive) in receipt of an aftercare service. Of those, 946 (56%) were in full time education.

A significant number of these young people are supported financially to remain living with their foster carers, in addition to having access to an aftercare worker. The most vulnerable group of children are those leaving residential care or short term foster care placements. Children, who come into care late, in their mid to late teens, may not have developed the relationships with staff or aftercare workers that help them achieve good outcomes.

Young people who do not have family support from a foster carer or family base are assisted in finding accommodation in supported lodgings, sheltered housing or independent accommodation and encouraged and supported financially in furthering their training and education.

A protocol developed by the Child and Family Agency and the County and City Management Association, in relation to dealing with accommodation issues of young people leaving care, has been completed. This will see the relevant local authority housing representative attend aftercare planning meetings with social workers of the Agency in relation to those young people for whom social housing has been identified as the most appropriate form of accommodation support.

Furthermore, as the Deputy is aware, it has been decided to strengthen the legislative provisions regarding aftercare. This is in response to concerns that there was insufficient focus in this area and that such planning was not taking place on a properly structured and consistent basis. The approach adopted is to impose a statutory duty on the Child and Family Agency to prepare an aftercare plan for an eligible child or eligible young person. The aim is to create an explicit, as opposed to implicit, statement of the Agency’s duty to satisfy itself as to the child’s or young person’s need for assistance by preparing a plan that identifies those needs for aftercare supports.

It is anticipated that the Aftercare Bill will be published in the early part of 2015.