Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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196. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the extent to which adequate foster home places exist to meet the demand throughout Ireland; if specific initiatives are required in this area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38239/18]

Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
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The majority (92%) of children in care in Ireland are in foster care. Children, depending on their individual need, may be placed in foster care either with relatives, with general foster carers or with private foster carers.

The recruitment and retention of foster carers is a challenge, as it is in all jurisdictions. According to Tusla's most recent verified data, there were 4,302 foster carers on the panel of approved foster carers at the end of Quarter 1, 2018.

- 2,703 of these were general foster carers;

- 1,124 were relative foster carers;

- and 475 were private foster carers.

The high numbers of children in foster care includes older teenagers, children with challenging behaviour, children with disabilities, and children from different ethnic backgrounds. With respect to these requirements, Tusla experiences difficulties in matching the needs of all children requiring a foster care placement, with the foster care families available.

There are regular area recruitment campaigns to meet foster care demands. Fostering teams are responsible for the recruitment and assessment of foster carers. When an assessment is complete, a report is presented to the Foster Care Committee who decide whether or not to approve the applicant.

The recruitment and retention of an appropriate range of foster carers is part of Tusla's business plan. I would encourage anyone interested in becoming a foster carer to contact their local Tusla office directly. Tusla are particularly interested in recruiting foster carers who can provide specialised care for children with complex needs.