Guardian’s payment (contributory) is a social insurance payment and guardian's payment (non-contributory), is a social assistance (means tested) payment made to a person caring for a child who satisfies the definition of an “orphan” under social welfare legislation.
A child is considered an orphan if they are under 18 (or 22 if in full time education) and both parents are deceased; or one parent is either dead or unknown or has abandoned and failed to provide for the child and the other parent is unknown or has abandoned and failed to provide for the child. The purpose of the guardian's payment scheme is to provide income support in respect of those children whose parents are unable to provide for them, through death or other circumstances.
Guardians Payment is currently paid in respect of 2,715 children at the weekly rate of €237 per child which is the highest rate of weekly child income support paid by my Department.
Matters relating to informal kinship care and foster care are the responsibility of my colleague, the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality. Following a recommendation from the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, to develop a policy on the rights of children in informal kinship care, the Department of Children, Disability and Equality have established a steering group for the Development of a National Policy on informal Kinship Care. While this national policy considers the rights of children living in informal kinship care, the associated rights and necessary supports for their carers will also be considered.
My officials are currently participating in this group in the context of Guardian’s Payments administered by my Department.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
