Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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325. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of children currently in the various forms of care, institutional or otherwise; the degree to which he is satisfied with the level and quality of the care in all such situations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15681/22]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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Tusla have provided us with their most recent figures for the number of children in care,from December 2021 monthly.

- Total # children in care = 5,863

- Total # in foster care general = 3,768

- Total # in relative foster care = 1,498

- Total # in residential general care = 446

- Total # in residential special care = 16

- Total # in other care = 138 (i.e., at home under a care order, supported lodgings and so on).

Tusla is committed to promoting quality and safe practice in all areas of alternative care, including residential care and foster care. Safe practice is defined as the implementation of appropriate safeguarding measures necessary for working with young people in a manner that acknowledges their need to live in as normal an environment as possible. All children have the right to be cared for, fulfil their potential and be protected from harm.

Once a child has been received into care, the most crucial task for the social worker is to find a placement that matches that child's needs. Children, depending on their identified need, may be placed in foster care either with relatives or general foster carers, in residential care, special care or other placement types. A key part of the social worker role is to develop, in consultation with the child and relevant others, a care plan which will guide the quality and safety of the child's placement, and to meet with the child on a one to one basis on all visits. There are safeguards surrounding each child's care placement, whether foster or residential care, and all placements are supervised by a professionally qualified social worker.

Regulations govern the placement of children in care. These provide for the welfare of the child, the care practices, care records, accommodation and safety precautions. The Regulations also provide that the allocated social worker oversees the implementation of the child's care plan, visits the child and consults with family members, foster carers and other people involved with the child to ensure that his or her needs are being met and that the care being provided is optimal.

HIQA carries out announced and unannounced inspections of children's services including Child Protection and Welfare Services, Foster Care Services, statutory Children's Residential Centres and Special Care units. HIQA carry out these inspections against Regulations and Standards, by reviewing files on site, interviews and questionnaires with staff and service users and their families. Following an inspection, HIQA share their initial judgements and draft report with the service/area. HIQA then works with the management of the centre or area in order to agree an Action Plan to address any identified deficits. Final reports are published, and are submitted to the Department with the area or service's Action Plans and are monitored as necessary by DCEDIY officials.

Tusla has policies and procedures for responding to concerns, allegations and complaints made by or on behalf of children in care. This includes ensuring all allegations, concerns, and complaints by children in care are taken seriously and receive the required response as stated in policies within Tusla. In addition, the Ombudsman for Children and Tusla's own National Review Panel will report on specific topics relating to the work of Tusla which prompts further improvements in Tusla services.

The foregoing sets out the safeguards in place with regard to all placements of children in care. Tusla in discharging its statutory responsibilities under the Child Care Acts must have the best interests of the child as its paramount consideration. It actively monitors every placement of every child in care to ensure its appropriateness to the needs of that child, and any concerns or breaches of standards are addressed in this context.