Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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968. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the extent to which she maintains dialogue with the prison services with a view to providing appropriate support for first-time offender juveniles on their release from prison; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45358/18]

Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
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On 31 March 2017, I signed the necessary orders, to end the practice of detaining 17-year-old boysin adult prison facilities. Since then, any child who is remanded in custody or sentenced to a period of detention is accommodated in Oberstown Children Detention Campus. Hence, there are no children detained in adult prisons.

A comprehensive care model of, Care, Education, Health and Well-being, Offending Behaviour and Preparation for returning to families and community (CEHOP), is in operation at Oberstown with the aim of achieving the best outcomes for young people in detention. CEHOP was developed by Oberstown and is a bespoke model for the delivery of care programmes.

When a child arrives in Oberstown, his/her care programme is based on the child’s leaving date. Depending on the length of their remand or detention, Oberstown develops plans based on the child's short, medium and long-term needs, always focusing on their ultimate return and reintegration into the community and reducing the risk of re-offending.

Preparation for leaving involves practical programmes that are regularly reviewed and constantly supervised. Placement Planning Meetings take place at regular intervals throughout the child’s time in Oberstown. These cover all aspects of the child's care including accommodation, living skills, finances, work, education and health. Oberstown involves all relevant parties which includes the young person themselves as well as the key people in their lives such as parents/family, carers, as well as representatives from care, education, health and other relevant external agencies.