A third of foster families 'not vetted' in HSE South

The Minister for Children Barry Andrews is being urged to explain how vetting of foster parents was not carried out in over a third of cases in the HSE South region.

The revelation is just one finding in an audit of foster care released to the Sunday Business Post under the Freedom of Information Act.

In one instance a child was placed with a foster carer who had a number of criminal convictions.

In one area in the HSE South region there was evidence of a two-tier payment system, with unvetted homes receiving less money from the HSE for accepting foster children.

The HSE has ordered an urgent review into foster care in the south.