PART 4: FORMAL AND INFORMAL SUPPORTS

Children and Young People in Care

Children in care are more likely to fare less well in education than other children, insofar as they are more likely to be suspended or expelled from school, more likely to exhibit low levels of school engagement 70 and more likely to leave school without an academic qualification 71

Measure

The number of children who are in the care of the Health Service Executive (HSE).

Key findings

  • In 2006, the number of children in the care of the HSE was 5,247. This equates to an overall rate of 50.6 children per 10,000 (see Table 107).
  • 26.9% (1,414) of children in the care of the HSE were in the HSE Dublin Mid-Leinster region; 26.4% (1,384) were in HSE South; 25.8% (1,355) were in HSE Dublin North-East; and the remaining 20.9% (1,094) were in HSE West.

Table 107: Number of children in the care of the HSE, by HSE Region (2006)

HSE Region Total
Dublin Mid-Leinster 1,414
Dublin North-East 1,355
West 1,094
South 1,384
State 5,247
Rate per 10,000 50.6

Source: Childcare Interim Dataset, HSE

Differences by gender

  • In 2006, there were no significant differences between boys and girls (see Table 108): 51.1% (2,681) of children in the care of the HSE were boys and 48.9% (2,566) were girls.

Table 108: Number of children in the care of the HSE, by gender and HSE Region (2006)

HSE Region Boys Girls Total
Dublin Mid-Leinster 713 701 1,414
Dublin North-East 684 671 1,355
West 567 527 1,094
South 717 667 1,384
State 2,681 2,566 5,247

Source: Childcare Interim Dataset, HSE

 

Differences by length of stay

  • In 2006, 21.7% (1,141) of children in the care of the HSE were in care for less than one year; 40% (2,097) were in care for between 1 and 5 years; and the remaining 38.3% (2,009) were in care for 5 years or more (see Table 109 and Figure 47).

Table 109: Number of children in the care of the HSE, by length of stay and HSE Region (2006)

HSE Region Up to
1 year		 1-5
years		 5 years
or more		 Total
Dublin Mid-Leinster 219 563 632 1,414
Dublin North-East 252 594 509 1,355
West 262 421 411 1,094
South 408 519 457 1,384
State 1,141 2,097 2,009 5,247

Source: Childcare Interim Dataset, HSE

 

Figure 47: Percentage of children in the care of the HSE, by length of stay (2006)

fig45

Source: Childcare Interim Dataset, HSE

 

Differences by type of placement

  • 87.6% (4,595) of all children in the care of the HSE lived in foster family homes (see Table 110). 58.6% (3,073) were in foster family homes with non-relatives, while 28.2% (1,482) lived in foster family homes with relatives.
  • 7.8% (408) of all children in the care of the HSE were placed in residential care settings.

Table 110: Number of children in the care of the HSE, by type of placement and HSE Region (2006)

HSE Region Dublin
Mid-Leinster		 Dublin
North-East		 West South State
  No. % of total No. % of total No. % of total No. % of total No. % of total
Foster Care - General 867 61.3 693 51.1 678 62.0 835 60.3 3,073 58.6
Foster Care - Special 1 0.1 11 0.8 16 1.5 12 0.9 40 0.8
Foster Care - Relative 390 27.6 436 32.2 295 27.0 361 26.1 1,482 28.2
Pre-adoptive placement 3 0.2 4 0.3 14 1.3 15 1.1 36 0.7
Residential - General 119 8.4 116 8.6 46 4.2 70 5.1 351 6.7
Residential - Special 3 0.2 8 0.6 3 0.3 2 0.1 16 0.3
Residential - High Support 9 0.6 5 0.4 12 1.1 15 1.1 41 0.8
At home under care order 0 0.0 15 1.1 15 1.4 14 1.0 44 0.8
Other 22 1.6 67 4.9 15 1.4 60 4.3 164 3.1
Total 1,414 100.0 1,355 100.0 1,094 100.0 1,384 100.0 5,247 100.0

Source: Childcare Interim Dataset, HSE

 

Technical notes
Data for the Childcare Interim Dataset are collected by the Health Service Executive

 

Next

70 Daly, A. and Gilligan, R. (2005) The educational and social support experiences of young people aged 13-14 years in long-term foster care. Dublin: Children's Research Centre, Trinity College Dublin.

71 Kelleher, P., Kelleher, C. and Corbett, M. (2000) Left Out on their Own: Young people leaving care in Ireland. Dublin: Focus Ireland.