Written answers
Thursday, 19 October 2023
Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth
Children in Care
Réada Cronin (Kildare North, Sinn Fein)
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269. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth why foster care payments are not index-linked and whether and when provision will be made to do so, given the criticality of the service provided and the fact foster care can be financially dynamic according the needs of a child; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45935/23]
Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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As outlined in Budget 2024, from 1st January 2024 the rates of the foster care allowance will increase by €25 per week, up to €350 per week for children aged under 12 and €377 per week for those over 12. The foster care allowance will be further increased in November 2024, up to €400 per week for children aged under 12 and €425 per week for those over 12.
The changes in Budget 2024 will bring the annual rate of the foster care allowance to an amount of €20,800 for a child under 12 and €22,100 for a child over 12.
I am committed to keeping the rates of the foster care allowance under review in the context of future budget discussions.
Réada Cronin (Kildare North, Sinn Fein)
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270. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to outline what is being done within his Department to future-proof foster care as a critical component within the care system, so that in-home family care is the primary option, and available to as many children as possible; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45936/23]
Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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Foster care is the preferred model of care for children in care, who cannot live with their families of origin. In recognition of the importance of foster care in contributing to improved outcomes for children in care, it was a priority of mine to secure a meaningful increase to the foster care allowance in this year’s Budget in order to support the vital role being carried out by foster carers.
As outlined in Budget 2024, from 1st January 2024 the rates of the foster care allowance will increase by €25 per week, up to €350 per week for children aged under 12 and €377 per week for those over 12. The foster care allowance will be further increased in November 2024, up to €400 per week for children aged under 12 and €425 per week for those over 12.
These increases mean that foster carers will receive over €1,700 additional funding per child over the course of 2024, amounting to an extra €300 per month by the end of 2024 for each child placed with them, when compared with the current allowance.
In addition, my Department has had ongoing engagement with Tusla in relation to improving supports for foster carers in line with the Strategic Plan for Foster Care Services 2022-2025. As part of the development of this plan, the lived experiences of people who are both providing and accessing Tusla foster care services were considered in the consultation process, and a number of key recommendations were identified. In this context, I welcome the appointment of a National Lead for Foster Care in Tusla, who has responsibility for implementation of the key recommendations from the Strategic Plan.
I will continue to engage closely with relevant stakeholders, including Tusla, Government colleagues, and representative organisations, in seeking to review and improve supports available to foster carers.
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