Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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573. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of adults discharged from Tusla funded aftercare into homelessness each year since the agency was established; and the supports in place to prevent the discharge of young adults from Tusla funded aftercare into homelessness. [47706/18]

Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
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Every year more than 500 young people leave the care of the State. These young people are offered a wide range of services from different State actors including income supports, health supports, accommodation and education.

The aftercare provisions of the Child Care (Amendment) Act 2015 came into force on the first of September 2017. This means that there is now a statutory obligation on Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, to prepare an aftercare plan for each eligible child and young person. This plan encompasses the range of supports that a young person may need from all service providers, including Tusla, to help them make the transition to independent adult life. This plan must specifically include consideration of the young person’s needs in relation to accommodation.

The majority of young people who leave the care of the State each year upon turning 18 do so with stable accommodation in place. A significant number of young people leaving care remain living with their former foster carers. Those who do not have family support from a foster carer or family base are assisted in finding accommodation in supported lodgings, sheltered housing or independent accommodation and encouraged and supported financially in furthering their training and education.

Tusla does not collate data on the number of young adults discharged from aftercare into homelessness.  Tusla does not operate a policy of discharging young adults into homeless services.

Of the 1,964 young adults aged 18 to 22 years in receipt of an aftercare service at the end of June 2018, 45.2% were living with their former foster carers, 25.1% were living independently, 10.5% were at home with their birth parents, and 9.3% were in a residential care placement or supported lodgings.

However, some 9% of young people leaving care are at a more pronounced risk of entering unstable accommodation due to the complexity of their support needs. In recognition of the particularly complex needs of a minority of young people leaving care, they have since 2017 been included for the first time as a separate category for funding under the Capital Assistance Scheme (CAS). CAS will provide targeted assistance to the most vulnerable care leavers by enabling Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) to acquire residential units to accommodate care-leavers. My Department and Tusla have developed principles and criteria relating to funding proposals under CAS. Where accommodation is provided under CAS, Tusla will provide and, where necessary advocate for, additional independent living supports, in particular for the most vulnerable care leavers, in accordance with the individual’s pre-agreed aftercare plan. I am pleased to be able to confirm that the first two care leavers have now taken occupancy of secure accommodation under the scheme while an additional 43 units, consisting of a mix of one and two bed units across the State, are "Sale Agreed" and should be available for many other young people leaving care in the near future. 

The security provided by a tenancy in CAS accommodation, combined with the aftercare supports identified by Tusla as part of the aftercare planning process, can help ensure that these young people have a safe base from which to begin their transition to independent adult life.

Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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574. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the reason a person (details supplied) has been informed that their Tusla funded aftercare placement will end on 16 November 2018; and the steps Tusla will take to prevent them from being discharged into homelessness. [47707/18]

Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
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The attention of my officials was drawn to this case by the young person’s former foster parents on the 11th of this month. My officials immediately contacted Tusla, the Child and Family Agency to establish the details of the case. I am pleased to assure you that Tusla have confirmed that they will temporarily extend the young person’s current aftercare placement to ensure that she has a safe place to stay.

According to the information provided by Tusla, the young person in question was due to be discharged from her current placement on Friday 16th November, with the intention that she could move directly to an Aftercare unit run by Focus Ireland and funded by Tusla. Unfortunately, on November 9th, this unit advised that they were not in a position to accommodate the young person due assessed risk.

Tusla are appealing this decision, and are offering additional support to the unit to manage concerns identified by that service. Due to the particularly complex needs of the young person identifying a suitable adult placement is a challenge. Tusla believe that the unit identified will best meet these needs. A final decision is awaited from the unit. In the interim, as mentioned, the young person can temporarily remain in her current placement.