Written answers

Wednesday, 18 November 2015

Department of Children and Youth Affairs

Children in Care

Photo of Robert TroyRobert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

129. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the status of Tusla - Child and Family Agency in achieving comprehensive care planning, effective matching and adequate supports to maintain placements while children and young persons are in care. [40783/15]

Photo of James ReillyJames Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The placement of children in care is governed by Regulations which provide, inter alia, for the welfare of the child, the care practices, care records, accommodation and safety precautions. A care plan for each child who is received into care is required under the Child Care Regulations, 1995. The regulations stipulate that all care plans are to be reviewed and updated on a regular basis and sets out the frequency for these reviews to take place. A review of the care planned for a child under the Child Care Act 1991, as amended, is a process to monitor and review the progress of the plan and to update it if required. A key consideration for the social worker is to consult with the child, family members, foster carers, and other people involved with the child to ensure that his or her needs are being met and that the care being provided is optimal.

Children, depending on their identified need, may be placed in foster care either with relatives or general foster carers, residential care, special care or other placement types. The majority of children are placed in long term stable placements.

The latest figures from Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, indicate that, in August 2015, there were 6,345 children in care. Of these, nearly 93% are in foster care, either with relatives or a general foster placement. Of all children in care, 92% (5,857) have an allocated social worker and 90% (5,737) have a written care plan. It is known that outcomes for children in care are better when there is evidence of a careful assessment, thoughtful planning and proactive case management. All decisions made, and support provided, for children in care must be grounded in a high-quality assessment of their needs and potential risk of harm. Matching appropriate placements is key, and is achieved by the sharing of information and discussion involving all relevant professionals, the children and their families (where appropriate), and the proposed foster carers or residential centres, their families and other children in the placements.

The increased budget for Tusla for 2016 should result in higher levels of children in care having an allocated social work as well as an increase in the number of written care plans.

Matching carers with children and young people is outlined in the National Standards for Foster Care (2003), and the National Standards for Children’s Residential Centres (2001) outlines the need for suitable placements in residential care.

Comments

No comments

Log in or join to post a public comment.