Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 8 November 2016
42. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if, in view of the unfortunate record of treatment of some unaccompanied minors and young asylum seekers, she has satisfied herself that the care system for these most vulnerable young persons is appropriate and up to international best practice. [33522/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraTusla, the Child and Family Agency, has operational responsibility for accommodating and caring for unaccompanied minors who arrive into Ireland. Unaccompanied minors are a vulnerable cohort and the State is duty bound by international and domestic law to protect and provide care. Under Tusla’s Equity of Care principle, unaccompanied minors who arrive in this jurisdiction are placed in State care provided by Tusla. The Equity of Care principle ensures that unaccompanied minors receive the same level of protection and care as any other child in State care, and ensures that there is no differentiation of care provision, care practices, care priorities, standards or protocols.
When a child arrives into Ireland without their parents or customary care providers, contact is made with Tusla’s dedicated Social Work Team for Separated Children Seeking Asylum (SCSA) and the child is placed in the care of the State. Each unaccompanied minor is allocated a social worker. They are accommodated initially in one of three short term residential intake units while they continue their needs assessment, including health, educational and language needs. Following this time in the children’s residential centre, children are then placed according to their needs. The majority of unaccompanied minors are placed with registered foster carers or supported lodgings carers.
Over the past five years, Tusla has taken an average of 100 referrals of unaccompanied children seeking asylum per year. So far this year there have been 104 unaccompanied children referred to Tusla services.
All foster care organisations and statutory residential centres are inspected by the Health Information & Quality Authority (HIQA), and private and voluntary residential centres are inspected by Tusla against national standards. The inspection reports are published on the respective websites. Children First (2011) applies to unaccompanied minors, and all persons employed full-time or part-time by Tusla are vetted by An Garda Síochána as a matter of standard practice, as are those employed by the appointed interpretation service.
Children living in Direct Provision are in the care of their parent(s). Where there are concerns about their welfare, safety or well-being this is then referred to Tusla, in line with Children First guidelines.
