Children leaving care receive extra rights
500-600 children entitled to aftercare plans as they begin adult life
“Resources in place to deliver for young people to begin independent
living”
500-600 children leaving state care upon reaching the age of 18 will from
tomorrow (Friday 1st September) have the right to an aftercare plan to
identify any future supports they may require, according to the Minister
for Children and Youth Affairs, Dr Katherine Zappone.
Minister Zappone is confirming that there will be a statutory obligation to
provide an aftercare plan which will identify supports required for
children as they prepare to start adult life.
The Minister says resources, including aftercare workers, have been put in
place to ensure this happens before a child leaves care.
Confirming that this new right is about to commence Minister Zappone added:
“I am conscious that the transition to independent adulthood can be
challenging for many young people.
This is particularly true for children and young people in care. Planning a
young person’s new independent living needs to begin years prior to leaving
care and continue as part of the care planning process.
This preparatory work is facilitated by a social worker and is based on
collaboration with the young person, their carers and partner agencies.
It is specific to the individual young person's needs. During the
preparation for leaving care an aftercare worker is introduced to the young
person. They are involved in the preparation for the leaving care process.”
Jim Gibson, Chief Operations Officer, Tusla said:
"Tusla – Child and Family Agency welcomes the introduction of the Child
Care Amendment Act 2015 which will strengthen the legislative basis for the
provision of Aftercare services.
Tusla has advocated for this important change to assist young people in
making the transition from a young person in care to adult life, and to
ensure consistency of support to these young people/ young adults in
aftercare from 18 years and up to 21 years of age.
This may be extended if a young adult is in full time education or
accredited training to the age of 23 years. Aftercare Services are an adult
service but are integral to the provision of alternative care."
NOTE TO EDITORS
Aftercare Provision
Young people leaving care need ongoing support in order to achieve their
potential. The provision of an appropriate aftercare service has been
highlighted as a key element to achieving positive outcomes for young
people upon leaving care. It is essential that young people leaving care
are provided with the type of transitional support that their individual
situation requires.
Aftercare provision incorporates advice, guidance and practical support.
The social worker, aftercare worker, young person, carer and others
identify what the young person will need for support and how this will best
be met. This may include education, financial support, social network
support, and training. One of the key features of aftercare support is to
advocate on behalf of young people to promote their development as a
fulfilled adult in their community. The most important requirements for
young people leaving care are for secure, suitable accommodation, access to
further education, employment or training and supportive relationships.
Aftercare – Legal Provision
Section 45 of the Child Care Act 1991 places a statutory duty on Tusla to
form a view in relation to each person leaving care as to whether there is
a "need for assistance" and if it forms such a view, to provide services in
accordance with the legislation and subject to resources. 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 in which a young
person is engaged, up to the age of 23 years.
The Minister has decided to strengthen the legislative provisions regarding
aftercare to respond to past concerns 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 Tusla 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 Tusla’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.