Written answers

Tuesday, 4 July 2017

Department of Children and Youth Affairs

Child and Family Agency Services

Photo of Bernard DurkanBernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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563. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the back-up facilities available on an ongoing basis for children and young adults on leaving institutional care; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31542/17]

Photo of Katherine ZapponeKatherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
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Children leaving care before their 18th birthday are normally being reunited with either their parents or responsible family members. This is carried out in a planned manner. Tusla continues to engage with the family and provide family supports where appropriate.

The Child Care (Amendment) Act 2015 was signed into law in December 2015 and I will commence this legislation on 1 September 2017. It entitles eligible young people to a formal aftercare plan, prepared by Tusla in collaboration with the young person leaving care. In response to this legislation Tusla has introduced a number of new practices. It has developed dedicated aftercare teams, it has standardised the financial supports that it offers to those leaving care, and it continues to roll out inter-agency steering committees to strongly promote good co-ordination of these services at local level. Through these measures, young people leaving care are offered a wide range of services from different sectors including income supports, health supports, accommodation and education. I can tell the Deputy that 58% of young people in receipt of aftercare services are in full-time education.

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