Over 1,500 foster parents who have cared for children for more than five years are to be given extra rights by the State under legislation drafted by Minister of State for Children Brian Lenihan.
Over 4,200 children are currently being fostered in the State, though 1,509 of them have been with the one family for more than five years.
Under the Childcare (Amendment) Bill, 2006, such foster parents will be given greater rights to decide about medical treatments for the child, to apply for passports for them, and to increase their guardianship rights generally.
The changes have been requested by foster parents, who have encountered difficulties on some occasions getting a passport for a child going on a school trip. Currently, the foster parents must return to the courts every time they are faced with a major issue about the child's welfare.
However, the foster parents will have to get any changes in the child's status ratified by the courts. The costs of applying to the courts is likely to fall to the Health Service Executive rather than the parents, though some may qualify for free legal aid.
