5% hike in babies born to addicts taken into care

THERE has been an alarming increase in the number of babies taken into care because they were born to drink or drug addicts.

The startling revelation is contained in a report that monitors HSE activities.

It found the number of children taken into care nationally grew by 5.5% between January and November last year.

The report said local health offices had attributed this growth to factors including:

* An increase in babies born to mothers who are addicted to drugs/alcohol and whose babies have been taken straight into care.

* The economic downturn resulting in unemployment and producing additional stress on already vulnerable families.

* Increased public awareness of child protection and welfare issues resulting in increased reporting of cases.

The report also revealed there has been a slight reduction in the number of foster carers with an allocated social worker despite the statutory right of every child in care to have an allocated social worker and a care plan. More than one in five children in care now has no allocated social worker.

Norah Gibbons, director of advocacy for children’s charity Barnados, said the shortage of social workers was of major concern because a social worker was a “basic requisite” to facilitate care planning.

She also said children should not be in care “because their family is poor” and she called for improved family support services to prevent this happening.

In relation to parental drug abuse leading to a child being taken into care, Ms Gibbons said it was their experience the drug addict parent was often only able to focus on their next fix and not their child’s welfare.

Alcohol Action Ireland estimates up to 100,000 children live in families adversely affected by alcohol.

Acting director Cliona Murphy said as a society, we had “quite a tolerance” of alcohol but little thought for “what goes on beyond the hall door”.