Tommy Broughan (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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401. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the status of refurbishment works at Crannóg Nua at Portrane in County Dublin including when the unit will be operational and the number of special care places which will be available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5537/16]

Tommy Broughan (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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402. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of children residing in special care units in Ballydowd special care unit, in Gleann Álainn special care unit, and in Coovagh House special care unit, from January 2015 to date, by month, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5538/16]

Tommy Broughan (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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403. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of children residing in care arrangements outside of the State under orders made by the High Court; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5539/16]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 401 to 403, inclusive, together.

Special care is intended as a short term secure care placement in a therapeutic environment with the intention of returning the child to a community or family based setting as soon as possible. Special care is used to address the risk of harm that may be caused to a child's life, health, safety, development or welfare by their behaviour. There are three special care units in the country which are operated by the Child and Family Agency, Tusla, under the governance of National Special Care Services.

The refurbishment works at Crannóg Nua, Portrane are currently ongoing and are due to be completed in the fourth quarter this year. When the works are completed Crannóg Nua will have an operational capacity of twelve special care places. It is envisaged that initial referrals to the Centre will commence in the first quarter of 2017, on a staggered basis.

Details of the three special care units with a total of 17 places are as follows:-

-Ballydowd, Dublin - a mixed gender unit, capacity for 10 children

-Coovagh House, Limerick - a mixed gender unit, capacity for 3 children

-Gleann Alainn, Cork - a female only unit, capacity for 4 children

Tusla has provided the following information on the number of children residing in special care units from January to December 2015.

Number of Children residing in Special Care Units 2015

Number of Children residing in Special Care Units 2016 (Jan-March)

It should be noted that the capacity of the centres can change depending on the needs of the children placed.

Tusla seeks to place children with complex needs within Ireland, in placements such as special care; however, in some limited circumstances children are placed abroad, under an order of the High Court, where their specific needs can be met. These children often present with a complex range of needs due to injury, accident or childhood experiences. The needs of the child are prioritised over the location of the placement when seeking such specialist services. Children placed abroad remain in the care of the State, have an allocated social worker who visits them in their placement, and have a care plan which is reviewed within the statutory framework. At the end of December 2015, there were 4 children in a secure care placement out of state. All four children were placed in the United Kingdom, had an allocated social worker and up to date care plan.