Written answers

Thursday, 13 July 2017

Department of Children and Youth Affairs

Child and Family Agency Data

Photo of Anne RabbitteAnne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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1133. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the standard payment that Tusla pays private residential care companies for each child in their care weekly and annually; if payments are made to these providers on a per child basis or a per bed basis; and the average cost to Tusla of providing a care place in State provided care and in a voluntary provided care setting. [33980/17]

Photo of Anne RabbitteAnne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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1134. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of private residential care companies contracted by Tusla to operate in the care system; and the number of children in this type of care. [33981/17]

Photo of Katherine ZapponeKatherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1133 and 1134 together.

The latest figures from Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, indicates that, at the end of April 2017, there were 6,291 children in care. Of these, 356 (6%) were in a residential placement of whom 214 were in a private residential placement.

Latest figures received from Tusla state that there are currently 21 private providers under contract with the private placement team.

Tusla have provided the following information in respect of the approximate average weekly cost of providing care to a child in a private residential centre, a statutory residential centre and a voluntary residential centre.

Approximate average weekly cost of residential care by care centre type

Centre TypeApprox. Average weekly cost
Private Residential Centre€5,000
Statutory Residential Centre€7,538
Voluntary Residential Centre€3,458

A child is placed in a residential setting only when they have an identified need that can only be met by this service, or for an intensive assessment or provision of specialist services. In general, these centres are based in domestic style homes in the community, and staffed by social care workers to attend to the needs of the child. Specialist supports are also made available, as needed, and many centres have specialist skill-sets and therapeutic modalities.

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