Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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HSE-funded day service programmes for people with intellectual disabilities, autism, or complex physical disabilities include a range of centre-based and community-based activities. The majority of young people due to leave school in a given year that require a HSE funded day service have been profiled by the end of the previous year to establish their support needs. Once needs are identified, referrals are made to the service provider of choice, funding is committed and negotiations are concluded with providers, normally by end of May, to confirm placements to young people and their families.

Each year a small number of placements are delayed in commencing due to issues such as recruitment or delays in the fit out of premises. The HSE monitor this very closely and work with all providers to solve issues as quickly as possible.

A letter was sent to 13 families by St. Michael’s House (SMH) on June 27th informing them that St. Michael’s House would not be able to accept a referral to their adult disability day service. 11 of these referrals are school leavers who are leaving St. Michael’s House school.

The HSE National Day services office and HSE CHO 9 met on the 29th June to discuss the issues identified, including referrals to services other than St Michael’s House. There are a total of 194 referrals in CHO 9 for the 2023 RT/School Leaver process, of this total, 146 placements have been confirmed and 25 have positive progression pathways.

The families of all 23 outstanding referrals in CHO 9 have been communicated with directly by the HSE CHO 9 Day Opportunities Team to discuss and explore day service placement options.

As you will be aware, I met today (11th July) with the families of the school leavers affected, and am committed to working with the HSE to find a satisfactory solution for these young people by the time they are due to start a day service in September. In addition, I plan to meet with the Board of St. Michael's House in the coming weeks.

There is significant ongoing effort by the local disability team in HSE CHO 9 to identify service placements for this group of school leavers. CHO 9 are actively working with existing providers to explore their capacity for additional referrals. The identification and development of new service locations is being explored as part of this. Meetings between the Disabilities and Estates teams are ongoing to explore accommodation options.

The Government and the HSE are committed to ensuring that young people leaving school in 2023 who wish to avail of a disability day service place will be supported. New developments funding of €8.5m in 2023 will support approximately 1,400 people with disabilities who are leaving school to transition into adult day services from September, with a full year cost of €27m in 2024.

My Department will continue to work with the HSE to find a satisfactory solution to the issues raised in CHO 9.