Companies get €1.3k a week per foster child
According to figures provided by the Children’s Minister Frances Fitzgerald, private firms are being paid more than €1,300 per week to provide private foster care for each child in their care.
According to Ms Fitzgerald, at present there are 251 children in private foster care in the State at a weekly cost of €342,265, or €1,363 per child.
The minister confirmed that 360 children were placed in private foster care last year at a cost of €12.8m.
Last night, Sinn Féin TD Dessie Ellis, who lodged a Dáil question on the issue, described the costs as “huge” and called for complete state control over all children in foster care.
The €12.8m paid to private companies represents a 34% increase on the €9.5m paid out to private firms who cared for 304 children placed in private foster care in 2010.
According to Ms Fitzgerald: “The private foster care company costs include the recruitment, assessment and training of the foster carer.
“The private company also provides the link worker [professional social worker] to provide support and supervision to the carer, ongoing training, and depending on the circumstances of the placement, support may be available on a 24-hour basis.
“The HSE generally utilise private foster care companies where children have a higher level of need including stepping down from high support placements.
“Private foster companies provide services to separated children seeking asylum and to the emergency out of hours placement service.
“The HSE retain the approval authority of the foster carer in all cases.”
Last night, Mr Ellis said: “The costs are very, very high and the question must be asked are we getting value for money? I believe that the State should have complete control over all children in foster care.”
In response to a separate Dáil question lodged by another Sinn Féin TD Pádraig Mac Lochlainn, Ms Fitzgerald confirmed that at the end of May, there were 6,282 children in care in Ireland.
The minister said that there were 3,929 in foster care; 1,795 in foster care with relatives; 371 in residential general care; 149 in other care; 20 in high support care; and 18 in special care.
