All children leaving state care to be given specific aftercare plans

All children and teenagers leaving state care will be given specific aftercare plans in a bid to prevent recent “terrible tragedies” from being repeated under a new law set to be imposed before Christmas.

Children’s Minister James Reilly confirmed the plan during a Dáil debate on the new Childcare Amendment Bill 2015, despite ongoing opposition and social worker concerns that the resources do not exist to ensure the system can be implemented.

Under new measures in the legislation, the State’s child and family services agency, Tusla, would be obliged to ensure all vulnerable children and teenagers are provided with detailed aftercare plans when leaving the social service supports.