Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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262. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of children in State care at present; the extent to which this is sufficient; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37002/22]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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The Child Care Act 1991 (‘the Act’) is the statutory framework for child welfare and protection in Ireland. The legislation places a statutory duty on Tusla to promote the welfare of children who are not receiving adequate care and protection. It sets the legislative provisions in relation to taking children into care, and the responsibilities of the Sate in that regard, which aim to improve outcomes for looked after children.

There are a number of ways in which a child may come into the care of Tusla. Section 4 of the Act allows for a child to be taken into the care of Tusla on a voluntary basis for a determined period of time without the need for a care order, subject to the agreement and wishes of the parent.

Alternatively, the Act provides Tusla with the legislative basis to remove a child from his or her family environment, following a successful application for a care order to a Court. The Act specifies the different types of care order, which will determine the type and duration of the subsequent alternative care placement. These include Emergency Care Orders, Interim Care Orders, Care Orders and Special Care Orders.

The conditions required for a court to make a Care Order in respect of a child are specified in Part IV of the Act.

There are three types of alternative care operating in Ireland: foster care, residential care, and special care. These arrangements are in place in order to meet the differing needs and circumstances of children in the care of the State. Tusla has advised that at the end of April 2022 there were 5,869 children in the care of the State.

Further, the United Nations Guidelines for the Alternative Care of Children, 2009, specified foster care as the most desirable form of alternative care for children. As such it is noteworthy that the vast majority of looked after children in Ireland reside in foster care. Tusla has advised that approximately 90% of children in care, reside in foster care.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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263. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the total number of children currently in fosterage; the duration of fosterage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37003/22]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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Tusla has stated that at the end of April 2022, there were 5,869 children in care and of these 5,246 (89%) were in foster care. Of the 5,246 children in foster care, 3,737 (71%) were in general foster care and 1,509 (29%) were in relative foster care.

Tusla has advised that data is not collated on the length of time these children were in foster care.

Tusla has further advised that at the end of December 2021, there were 5,863 children in care and of these 11.5% (672) were in care for under 1 year; 37.1% (2,177) were in care for between 1-5 years and 51.4% (3,014) were in care for a period greater than 5 years.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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264. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the total number of residential places currently available for children at risk; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37004/22]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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Children are placed in the care of Tusla when their care needs cannot be met in the home setting, for a variety of reasons. Tusla has stated that when a young person needs to come into the care of Tusla an individual assessment of need, care plan and pre-placement risk assessment is carried out and put in place to ensure that the child’s needs are best met in the most appropriate placement.

Children are placed in residential care to provide a safe, nurturing environment for them when they cannot live at home or in an alternative family environment such as foster care.

Residential centres are community based and are supported by the same range of health and social care services available to the rest of the population. Where Children’s Residential Centres differ however, is that Centres are staffed on a 24-hour basis by Social Care Workers, Social Care Leaders and Managers.

Tusla has advised that they do not collate data specific to “children at risk”. Data collated relates to the number of children in Tusla care.

Tusla has advised that at the end of April 2022 there were 5,869 children in care and of these 439 were in residential care. Of the 439 children in residential care, 424 were in general residential care and 15 were in special care. This data refers to children in centres registered as residential centres under the Child Care Act 1991. There were an additional 49 children in “other” residential centres, which includes, for example disability centres and drug/alcohol rehabilitation centres.