Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
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539. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if private fostering companies operating in the State are subjected to inspections by HIQA. [8195/22]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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The Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) is authorised by the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth under Section 69 of the Child Care Act, 1991 as amended by Section 26 of the Child Care (Amendment) Act 2011 to inspect services taking care of a child on behalf of the Child and Family Agency (Tusla). This includes non-statutory (i.e. private fostering companies) providers of foster care.

HIQA uses the National Standards for Foster Care (2003) as its framework for conducting inspections for statutory and non-statutory fostering services. Where issues are identified HIQA monitors the progress of service improvement plans that have been put in place to address same.

In order to drive quality and improve safety in the provision of statutory and non-statutory types of foster care services to children, HIQA carries out inspections to:

- Assess if the service provider has all the elements in place to safeguard children and young people and promote their well-being while placed with their service

- Seek assurances from service providers that they are safeguarding children through the mitigation of serious risks

- Provide service providers with the findings of inspections so that service providers develop action plans to implement safety and quality improvements

- Inform the public and promote confidence through the publication of the HIQA’s findings.

Monitoring inspections assess continuing compliance with the regulations and standards, and can be announced or unannounced.

Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
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540. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if the State has withdrawn from using the services of or withdrawn from contracts with private fostering companies operating in the State in the past ten years; if so, the reason the State withdrew from the contracts or from using the services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8196/22]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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The Deputy is referring to an operational matter for Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. I have therefore referred the matter to Tusla, and asked that a direct response be provided to the Deputy.