Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Young people who leave State care are entitled to advice, guidance and practical support. This is delivered in partnership with the young person, his or her family, foster carers, social workers, key residential social care workers and other statutory, community and voluntary agencies. Approximately 450 children leave care annually.

Aftercare is the planning and support put in place to meet the needs of a young person who is leaving statutory care at 18 years of age, to assist him/her in making the transition to independent living. The most important requirements for young people leaving care are for continuity of relationships; secure, suitable accommodation as well as further education, employment or training. The core eligible age range for aftercare is from 18 years up to 21 years. This can be extended until the completion of a course of education and training in which a young person who has left care, or is leaving care, is engaged in. The Child and Family Agency has advised that as at the end of March 2014, 1,539 young people are in receipt of an aftercare service.

Many young people remain in their foster care placement after 18 – in the region of 45%. The assistance they need may be a continuation of the fostering arrangements and support in accessing educational opportunities. The Agency has advised that as at the end of March 2014, some 60% of care leavers are engaged in some form of education or training. Young people who do not have family support from a foster carer or family base are assisted in finding accommodation in either supported lodgings, sheltered housing or independent accommodation and encouraged and supported financially in furthering their training and education.

The most vulnerable group of young people are those leaving residential care or short term foster care placements. Children, who come into care late, in their mid to late teens, may not have developed the relationships with staff or aftercare workers that helps them achieve positive outcomes. It is essential that these young people have an opportunity to develop a relationship with a dedicated aftercare worker who will work with them to identify their needs and ensure that services are in place to help provide them with the stability and support they need.

The Agency has advised that they are in the process of establishing interagency aftercare committees at local level bringing together Local Authorities, HSE and other statutory and voluntary agencies. These committees will develop interagency wrap around aftercare plans for young people, particularly for those with complex needs, including housing requirements.

A protocol, developed by the Child and Family Agency and the County and City Managers' Association, in relation to dealing with accommodation issues of young people leaving care, is nearing completion. The protocol has been developed in response to the Ryan Report recommendation that the "HSE and the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government will review the approach to prioritising identified "at risk" young people leaving care and requiring local authority housing". When agreed and implemented, the protocol will see the relevant local authority housing representative attend aftercare planning meetings with social workers of the Agency in relation to those young people for whom social housing has been identified as the most appropriate form of accommodation support. This, it is hoped, will facilitate a more efficient service for those leaving care in obtaining social housing suitable to their needs.

As the Deputy will be aware, it has been decided to strengthen the legislative provisions regarding aftercare. This is in response to concerns, including those raised in the Ryan Report, that there was insufficient focus in this area and that such planning was not taking place on a properly structured and consistent basis.

The approach adopted is to impose a statutory duty on the Agency to prepare an aftercare plan for an eligible child or eligible young person. The aim is to create an explicit, as opposed to implicit, statement of the Agency's duty to satisfy itself as to the child's or young person's need for assistance by preparing a plan that identifies those needs for aftercare supports. The draft provisions also clarify the range of agencies providing relevant services with which the Agency will cooperate in the development of the plan. The Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children, at its sitting on 1 April, considered the draft aftercare provisions. I understand that following this meeting a report is being prepared, which will be forwarded to me in due course. I will consider its content prior to refining the text of the provisions in conjunction with the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel.