Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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118. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he is aware that a number of young mothers with previous care experience are being housed in emergency hotels and bed and breakfast accommodation with their children; if any special or emergency measures are being taken to immediately address this issue, given that these young persons are a particularly at-risk and vulnerable group and that such a situation could put the children at risk of being taken into care. [40745/15]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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My colleague, the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, has included young adults leaving care as a priority group for the allocation of social housing. Additionally, Tusla has had meetings with Focus Ireland, the Department of Social Protection and Dublin City Council in relation to vulnerable families. Tusla intends to create a multi-agency protocol to be clear about individual agency and multi-agency responsibilities with regard to homelessness. I understand that work on this protocol has commenced.

Tusla does not collect national information on parents with a care experience who are now homeless. Homelessness as part of a family group is not, in of itself, a basis for seeking to receive a child into care. Tusla’s role is to support them in the same way that it supports any family where child welfare or protection issues are identified. In the case where someone has recently left care, the aftercare planning will address accommodation as part of the assessment of need. The aftercare service includes advice, guidance and practical (including accommodation and financial) support. Furthermore, I have brought forward legislative provisions to enhance aftercare by creating an explicit, as opposed to implicit, statement of the Agency’s duty to satisfy itself as to the child’s or young person’s aftercare plan and assessed needs for aftercare supports.