Fiona O'Loughlin (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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34. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if there are special procedures are in place for children residing in special care units whose first language is not English; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14821/16]

Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
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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. Children are admitted to Special Care following a successful application to the Child and Family Agency's Special Care Admissions Committee and then to the High Court for a Special Care Order, in line with the provisions of the Child Care Act 1991, as amended.

The criteria for admission to a special care unit are the age of the child, the concerns and risk assessment of the child, and a risk management plan. The age range for admission is 11 to 17 years. The concern and risk assessment must show evidence of the risk of harm that is posed by the child's behaviour. The risk management plan must show that the admission to special care will benefit the child and is being sought as other interventions or alternate placements are not able to meet the specific needs of the child. Documentation to support and provide evidence for the application are also considered and includes a special care application form, views of the child and the parents/guardians, the history leading to the application, the child's social history and details of previous placements. The current capacity of the three special care units is 17 places and as of the end of March 2016, 15 children were in special care placements.

The National Standards for Special Care Units ensures that the rights and diversity of children residing in Special Care units are respected and promoted. This includes the rights as prescribed in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. Therefore procedures are put in place for all children whose first language is not English, not only in Special Care Units, but within all care placements nationally. To facilitate communication between social workers and children and their families, interpretive services are arranged as required by social workers within care and placement planning and social care staff in Special Care Units.