Investment ‘key’ to reducing numbers of children in care

Investment in prevention and early intervention is key to reducing the numbers of children who need to be taken into the care of the State, the Care Leavers' Network Ireland has said.

The organisation, which represents adults who were in the care of the State during childhood, called for an additional €80 million to be made available to Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, for prevention and early intervention initiatives.

In its pre-budget submission, it said the money could be used for support programmes, including rural outreach, and to expand family resource centre opening hours.

“Every single euro spent on prevention and early intervention will save several euros into the future,” the network said.

It said foster care is often a “required and fit intervention”, but investment, and a collaboration between government departments, could help reduce the need for it.

Community initiatives, approachable social work services for families facing difficulties, and also availability of social workers to build relationships with communities would help establish “a pillar of support” for families, it said.

The network also highlighted the cost of residential care for children, which last year was more than €61 million, and said there needs to be accountability.

“How many families could we provide greater assistance to, how many hours of resources could we purchase with the same money spent when children enter the care system?” it asked.

“And how many more vulnerable children must become commodities, before policy-makers invest in sustainable, effective and efficient and evidence based prevention and early intervention policy and practice?”

The network also said greater numbers of children in care were presenting with mental health difficulties, substance misuse and continuing loss and trauma associated with multiple placement breakdowns and moves. Tusla needed to provide additional therapeutic services for these children, including alternative therapies, such as art and play therapy.

The network also said Tusla needs to greatly invest in after care supports and services, for young people in care who have turned 18, if “the cycle of poverty, deprivation, neglect and abuse these young adults experienced” is to be broken.