On 3 April, the HSE and Barnardos launched their report Foster Care and Supported Lodgings for Separated Asylum Seeking Young People in Ireland: The views of young people, carers and stakeholders. The research, which was undertaken by University College Dublin (UCD), evaluates the care of separated children in Ireland and the changes that have been made in recent years following the publication of the Ryan report in 2009.
The report’s findings were generally very positive and overall there has been an “enormous improvement” in the treatment of separated children in Ireland. The most significant development following the Ryan report has been the move from hostel to foster care and supported lodgings.
Despite improvements made in recent years, the report highlights areas that are still of concern and calls for improvements in a number of areas.
The report considers the importance of the matchmaking process and finding appropriate placements for separated children. At present there is an "urgent" need for more foster carers across Ireland. The lack of foster carers often prevents children being matched to a family with the appropriate cultural or religious outlook. The report says that current system of foster care training is inadequate and carers need to be trained on the ethnic and cultural needs of separated children.
The position of aged out minors is also an area of serious concern and the report calls for the provision of state support for children over the age of 18 and their foster carers. The research is critical of the current practice of transferring children who have turned 18 to direct provision as it has a hugely negative impact on the well being of separated young people. The report notes that the benefits of foster care could be undone when separated young people are moved to the direct provision system. There is a notable lack of follow up within the HSE and a lack of resources prevents social workers tracking these children or offering care supports.
The Irish Times reported Catherine Joyce, Barnardos’ Head of Advocacy, as saying that the present system of moving aged out minors from “caring foster homes” to the adult asylum-seeking process and direct provision centres was “a report waiting to happen”.
The report highlights the need for individualised care for separated children and notes that one size does not fit all. Author of the report, Dr Muireann Ni Raghallaigh, of UCD's School of Applied Social Science, said "While foster care and supported lodgings are working well for the majority of young people, one of the clear findings of the report is the need to ensure that the care offered reflects the individual needs of each child"
Other areas of concern include the long and extended periods that some separated children spend waiting for a final decision on their asylum cases. These waiting periods are reported as being extremely stressful for separated children as well as their foster families and can have a significantly negative impact on the mental well-being of separated children.
Mary Kenny, Manager of the HSE National Office for Unaccompanied Minors welcomed the report and said that she was pleased that the report’s findings reflect the many improvements that have been undertaken in recent years. “The research gives us a good picture of the particular challenges in providing care for this very vulnerable group and is a helpful reflection of their experiences of care” said Ms Kenny.
Barnardos welcomed the improvements that have been made in the area in recent years but noted that the current policy of moving 18-year-olds to direct provision was causing huge uncertainty and fear.
Click here to read the report in full
Click here to read a Barnardos press release
Click here to read a briefing paper from Barnardos on separated children in foster care
Click here to read a journal.ie article and here to read an article from the Human Rights in Ireland blog