Aftercare Service for Separated Children Ireland 15 September 2017 - - PDF document

Team for Separated Children Seeking Asylum, Ireland 9/14/2017 Metasebia Kereta : Child and Family Agency, TUSLA 2017 1

Aftercare Service for Separated Children Ireland

15 September 2017 Metasebia Kereta

What is Aftercare? What does it involve?

• Education, training and employment
• Housing/ accommodation
• Independent living skills
• Financial support and management
• Asylum and immigration
• Family reunification
• Health and other supports as appropriate

e.g. counselling, key working, assistance

• Support with transition from care
• Voluntary service
• Advocacy
• Sign Posting

Team for Separated Children Seeking Asylum, Ireland 9/14/2017 Metasebia Kereta : Child and Family Agency, TUSLA 2017 2

Legislation / Law Governing Aftercare Provision in Ireland

• Eligibility
• Age
• Length of time in state care
• Developing in-house procedures
• Aftercare Needs Assessment
• Aftercare Plan
• Aftercare Reviews
• Standardised Aftercare Allowance

Section 45 of Child Care Act, 1991. Section 45 Child Care Act, 1991 (as amended in 2015) will come to effect in September 2017.

Structure of Our Service

Principal Social Worker Social Work Team Leader Aftercare Social Work Team Leader Children In Care Social Work Team Leader Duty Social Work Team Leader Fostering 5 Social Workers 6 Aftercare Workers 1 Fostering Social Worker Admin

Team for Separated Children Seeking Asylum, Ireland 9/14/2017 Metasebia Kereta : Child and Family Agency, TUSLA 2017 3

Journey of our Aftercare Service

Hostels and Residential Units Closing of Hostels Aftercare

5 children’s hostels (when there was crisis in 2001 – 1085 referrals) Closing of hostels (under the Equity of Care Principle) Residential units and supported lodgings placement (through private agencies and our own recruitment) State provided accommodation for adult asylum seekers Private rented accommodations

Shift in Service Provision and Change of Roles

Project Workers

• No more hostels for children
• Children in family placements

(fostering or supported lodgings)

• Adult asylum seekers hostels

(State provided accommodation for adult asylum seekers)

• Emergency response

Aftercare Workers

• Planned support during

leaving care

• Leaving Care plans
• Supports through Aftercare

with plans and reviews

Team for Separated Children Seeking Asylum, Ireland 9/14/2017 Metasebia Kereta : Child and Family Agency, TUSLA 2017 4

Aftercare Statistics for Team for Separated Children

Age Breakdown

• Currently we have 80 aftercare

cases allocated to aftercare workers.

• Waiting list (currently none)

under 16 16‐18 18‐21

• ver 21

Aftercare Referral and Allocation System

Drop-in Duty Service, Sign-posting Aftercare Plan and Reviews Aftercare Needs Assessment Allocation and Leaving Care Plan Aftercare Referral

Team for Separated Children Seeking Asylum, Ireland 9/14/2017 Metasebia Kereta : Child and Family Agency, TUSLA 2017 5

Challenges

• Legislation / Aftercare policy
• No mention of Separated Children and their specific needs
• Eligibility criteria
• Age, length of time in care, residency status
• Lack of knowledge within other SW areas, Gov. Agencies, NGO’s
• Length of asylum process
• Lack of coordination between agencies
• Conflicting priorities between government agencies

Challenges continued...

• Family reunification
• Conflicting opinions between social workers, aftercare

workers and the young person

• Access to basic entitlements: social welfare, education,

housing, location

• Challenges for the YP: financial burden, exploitation,

restrictions on travel

Team for Separated Children Seeking Asylum, Ireland 9/14/2017 Metasebia Kereta : Child and Family Agency, TUSLA 2017 6

Proposed Solutions

Advocacy Creating discussion platforms between government and non‐ government agencies Recognition of UAMs in Aftercare policy and decision making Coordination and planning Child/Young person centered approach

Case Study 1

The K Family

Team for Separated Children Seeking Asylum, Ireland 9/14/2017 Metasebia Kereta : Child and Family Agency, TUSLA 2017 7

Contact Details

Metasebia Kereta: Aftercare Worker Team for Separated Children Seeking Asylum Sir Patrick Duns Hospital, Lower Grand Canal Street, Dublin 2, Ireland Child and Family Agency, TUSLA metasebia.kereta@tusla.ie