Dáil debates
Tuesday, 18 June 2024
Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions
Children in Care
Violet-Anne Wynne (Clare, Independent)
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51. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No. 1347 of 17 January 2024, if he has followed up with the Minister for Social Protection on the issue of pension support for foster carers, as he promised in a response (details supplied); his views on whether the situation foster carers are in is acceptable; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26063/24]
Violet-Anne Wynne (Clare, Independent)
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My question is to ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth further to a parliamentary question response to Deputy Emer Higgins in January of this year to liaise with the Minister, Deputy Humphreys, on the disgraceful fact that foster carers do not receive pension support even if their child has additional needs and Tusla has advised the foster carer to be in the home to support him or her.
Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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Foster care is the preferred method of care for children in care who cannot live with their families of origin. As we know, foster care provides a safe, secure and stable home environment for some of our most vulnerable children. Tusla's assessment of any foster carer must consider the foster carer's expected availability to meet and support the needs of the child who has come into his or her care. The assessment and approval process explores what type of care the prospective foster carer can best offer to a child depending on factors such as accommodation, the age of the child in their home and the carer's availability and experience. Tusla does consider working foster carers but the main consideration will be their availability to meet the child's needs and for some children it may be necessary for one carer to be at home full time.
Foster carers are not employees of Tusla and the foster care allowance is payable to foster carers on behalf of and to offset the expenses that exist that are related to the child in foster care. The allowance is not considered as a means for social welfare purposes. It is not subject to tax. The allowance is in recognition of the vital and valued role foster carers play in the care of the most vulnerable children in our society. The allowance is one element of the supports given to foster carers but it is important to note we were able to significantly increase that allowance in January and will do so again in November of this year.
As my colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Joe O'Brien, has outlined previously the Department of Social Protection has a number of schemes in place that may be of benefit to foster carers. Foster carers are entitled to the benefits of PRSI credits, home making disregards and home caring periods when they meet the criteria in the same way as any parent. I have been advised that under these schemes if a foster carer is a recipient of child benefit or the caring periods are confirmed by Tusla he or she can register for caring periods for each child under the age of 12. In the case of a child who is over 12 years of age caring periods can be registered where the child requires continuous supervision and regular assistance throughout the day with the activities of daily living. The maximum caring period available is 20 years and I encourage foster carers who believe they may be entitled to the benefits provided under these schemes to so apply.
Violet-Anne Wynne (Clare, Independent)
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I raised this issue with the Minister of State, Deputy Joe O'Brien, during the 11 June session but he pointed to the Minister as being the best person to revert to on this issue. It seems to be a complex pension issue. I point to the fact that the IFCA found that 50% of the carers surveyed said they are experiencing financial difficulties due to their commitment to caring and have considered giving up fostering as they are worried about being able to provide an adequate level of care. Tusla is actively recruiting for foster carers in my constituency of Clare but is struggling to recruit. When consulted in January the Minister stated that foster carers are not employees and, accordingly, Tusla does not make pension contributions on their behalf. Is that an accurate summation of the Government's position, that it is aware of the issue but that carers are now employees? Home caring period schemes can help carers to qualify but as the Minister stated it only applies to children under the age of 12 or disabled children over the age of 12.
Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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I thank the Deputy for keeping the spotlight on this issue because it is so important that we support foster carers. I have met IFCA and Movement for Change in Foster Care and other organisations representing foster carers regularly. In particular, I met them after, not the 2024 budget but the 2023 budget, and I said I would work with them to deal with the allowance which was a key issue for them. The allowance has been raised by €25 from 1 January and will increase by another €50 from 1 November this year. This means foster carers this year will receive an additional €1,700 but in the full year of these increases they will receive an additional €3,900. The Deputy is right that some foster carers struggle with the costs but that is a significant additional support my Department is making available to them. It is absolutely deserved and it is some of the best investment my Department can make both in terms of the quality of outcomes for children but also looking at the bottom line in terms of costings and savings for the State foster care is the better way to proceed on both of those bases.
Violet-Anne Wynne (Clare, Independent)
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The increases in the allowances are welcome and Movement for Change in Foster Care and IFCA have pointed to that as well. The fact most foster carers are women and they are inhibited on this pension issue in particular is an area that needs further progress to be made. The organisations have done a lot on this themselves over the last number of years and have met with various Departments including that of the Minister but that kind of engagement needs to continue, maybe spearheaded by the Minister. It needs to move beyond the State. It is clear that all of the agencies, Tusla, the Minister's own Department and the Department of Social Protection need to apply themselves to find some workable mechanism to ensure no foster carer is experiencing that kind of financial hardship.
Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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When I met IFCA and Movement for Change in Foster Care we spoke about five broad areas where they felt the State needed to be doing more. These were allowances - which the Deputy has discussed already; travel expenses - which I am working on with Tusla; and additional concrete supports particularly in terms of therapies and we now have therapist groups available to foster carers from which they can draw because often children in care have a range of significant additional needs. We have also put a much greater focus on foster caring within Tusla so now, for the first time, there is a national lead on fostering in Tusla. I was always shocked we did not have that position before but we have it now. I do not know if the Deputy attended Bloom this year but Tusla had an amazing garden highlighting the work foster carers do so we are seeing a real focus across there. Pensions is the other issue. I have engaged with the Minister, Deputy Humphreys and have met her twice on this issue. We will continue to engage to see what can be done within the existing framework to provide some additional supports there.