THE GOVERNMENT’S special rapporteur on child protection has appealed to TDs to block the Child Care (Amendment) Bill in a vote in the Dáil tomorrow, claiming it fails children by not providing a legal right to aftercare services.
Solicitor Geoffrey Shannon yesterday joined children’s charities and other experts on child law in opposing the Bill because it does not provide a statutory right to aftercare to all children in care.
In a joint statement issued with children’s charities, Mr Shannon warned a failure to provide a legal right to aftercare is a “failure to learn the lessons of the past and will place more lives at risk”.
“This amendment is an opportunity to put the rhetoric of the past two years into practice; we must make this Bill count and make the provision of aftercare mandatory for all children leaving care,” he said.
Aftercare services typically include transitional housing, mentoring from a dedicated social worker and educational support to help people leaving the care system to adapt to adulthood.
For those children deemed to be in need of the service provided by the Health Service Executive (HSE), mentoring usually starts six months before a child leaves care to help their transition.
But under current legislation there is no automatic legal right for children to receive aftercare services.
The 1991 Childcare Act only says the HSE “may provide aftercare services” where needed.
Children’s charities and advocacy groups have been campaigning to have an amendment added to the Child Care (Amendment) Bill to provide all children with a statutory right to aftercare services when they leave care.
“Too many already vulnerable children are left to fend for themselves once they turn 18” said the groups, which include Barnardos and Focus Ireland.
“Many experience homelessness, addiction and involvement in crime as a result of the lack of services available to them.
“A change in the law is the only way to make progressive change in the provision of aftercare services to children.”
Minister of State for Children Barry Andrews said last night he did not agree with the contention that young people leaving care have no entitlement to aftercare.
“I have very strong legal advice stating that the provision of aftercare is non-discretionary and must be provided when a care professional judges that there is a need,” he said.
He said the HSE is drawing up a new policy on aftercare services.