Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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1957. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of foster care homes, foster carers and relative foster carers respectively in counties Louth and Meath. [28575/17]

Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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1958. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of foster carers that are needed to meet demand in the counties Louth and Meath; the actions that will be taken to address the shortfall. [28576/17]

Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1957 and 1958 together.

I am informed by Tusla that there are currently 160 general foster carers and 58 relative foster carers in the Louth/Meath area.

Tusla have informed me that there is a requirement for approximately twenty foster carers immediately. Tusla are taking the following actions to address this shortfall;

- All schools in the area will be contacted, requesting that messages to be sent to all parents and teachers, highlighting the need for foster carers in the area.

- Posters/leaflets will be distributed to community groups, health centres, G.P. surgeries, churches, highlighting need for foster carers in the area. The Principal Social Worker for Fostering in the region has met with local community groups in Dundalk requesting leaders within these groups to organise a meeting with the local communities to highlight the need for carers in local communities.

- Contact has been made with local Traveller Groups and groups working with other ethnic minorities, in a bid to recruit from their specific communities, facilitating a better match of children with carers from within their own communities.

- The Children and Young People’s Services Committee in the area are working alongside Tusla to help recruit foster carers locally.