Suspension of foster care approval process

sexmag

http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/2020/si/170/made/en/print

"These Regulations amend the Child Care (Placement of Children in Foster Care) Regulations 1995 to provide for the suspension of normal foster care approval processes, having regard to the obligations and restrictions required by the State for the safeguarding of public health, and to allow for the introduction, on a temporary basis, of a more flexible approval process. These Regulations also suspend the statutory time-periods for the visiting of children in foster care and allow for any visits required to take place in accordance with all public health notifications and obligations."

Can someone explain this too me? Am I being a bit paranoid or does this mean that TUSLA can have a child put in foster for any reason without any normal process followed?

Peregrinus

sexmag wrote: »

http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/2020/si/170/made/en/print

"These Regulations amend the Child Care (Placement of Children in Foster Care) Regulations 1995 to provide for the suspension of normal foster care approval processes, having regard to the obligations and restrictions required by the State for the safeguarding of public health, and to allow for the introduction, on a temporary basis, of a more flexible approval process. These Regulations also suspend the statutory time-periods for the visiting of children in foster care and allow for any visits required to take place in accordance with all public health notifications and obligations."

Can someone explain this too me? Am I being a bit paranoid or does this mean that TUSLA can have a child put in foster for any reason without any normal process followed?

No, it doesn't. The circumstances under which, and reasons for which, a child may be placed for fostering are unchanged. What is changed that, if a child is placed for fostering, the procedures for assessing prospective foster-parents can be modified during the emergency period so that they do not include non-Covid-safe requirements.

skooterblue2

Peregrinus wrote: »

No, it doesn't. The circumstances under which, and reasons for which, a child may be placed for fostering are unchanged. What is changed that, if a child is placed for fostering, the procedures for assessing prospective foster-parents can be modified during the emergency period so that they do not include non-Covid-safe requirements.

How long is the emergency period for? Where are the checks and balances? Its not like Tusla have gotten it wrong before

Peregrinus

skooterblue2 wrote: »

How long is the emergency period for? Where are the checks and balances? Its not like Tusla have gotten it wrong before

3 months from 15 May 2020. It's stated in the regs to which sexmag has linked. Honours students will note that the emergency period has already expired.

As for checks and balances, these two are addressed in the regs themselves, which set out several elements that the modified procedures still have to include. These are

- Applicants to foster must provide two referees who are not related to them who may be consulted as to their suitability

- up-to-date vetting disclosure from An Garda Síochána in respect of the applicant and every person over 16 in the applicant's household

- An authorised person (i.e. Health Board official), following assessment, must be satisfied as to suitability of the applicant and the applicant's home

- Tusla makes a report on suitabilty to an expert panel ("composed of persons with expertise in matters affecting the welfare of children, including persons who have training or experience in relation to foster care") who must be satisfied as to the suitablity of the applicant to act as a foster parent

- Applicants must receive appropriate advice, guidance and training in relation to the foster care of children.

This is very similar to the normal process, except that the normal process also requires a medical report on the applicant, while the modified process requires the approval decision to be made "having due regard to all public health notifications and obligations". To be honest, I am not sure of the signficance of this difference.

Note that all of this is simply for approval as a potential foster parent - people who are approved through this process go on a panel who will be considered as foster parents when a placement is to be made. The processes and procedures to be followed when a child is actually placed with foster parents are separate, and have not been changed.

sexmag

Peregrinus wrote: »

3 months from 15 May 2020. It's stated in the regs to which sexmag has linked. Honours students will note that the emergency period has already expired.

As for checks and balances, these two are addressed in the regs themselves, which set out several elements that the modified procedures still have to include. These are

- Applicants to foster must provide two referees who are not related to them who may be consulted as to their suitability

- up-to-date vetting disclosure from An Garda Síochána in respect of the applicant and every person over 16 in the applicant's household

- An authorised person (i.e. Health Board official), following assessment, must be satisfied as to suitability of the applicant and the applicant's home

- Tusla makes a report on suitabilty to an expert panel ("composed of persons with expertise in matters affecting the welfare of children, including persons who have training or experience in relation to foster care") who must be satisfied as to the suitablity of the applicant to act as a foster parent

- Applicants must receive appropriate advice, guidance and training in relation to the foster care of children.

This is very similar to the normal process, except that the normal process also requires a medical report on the applicant, while the modified process requires the approval decision to be made "having due regard to all public health notifications and obligations". To be honest, I am not sure of the signficance of this difference.

Note that all of this is simply for approval as a potential foster parent - people who are approved through this process go on a panel who will be considered as foster parents when a placement is to be made. The processes and procedures to be followed when a child is actually placed with foster parents are separate, and have not been changed.

Thank you, I had a feeling I was reading it as the process had become more flexible but I was incorrect. So nothing has really change except for the forster parents per say

Peregrinus

As far as I can see, yes. At least as regards approval of prospective foster parents.

There are some other changes regarding supervision of children who are in foster placement. Again, the supervision requirements aren't abolished; just replaced with modified requirements.

It's guess, but I think what's behind this is that the (fairly intensive) processes for assessing and approving foster carers and supervising kids in placement are in tension with the some of the travel restrictions, social distancing, etc required in response to the CV19 pandemic. The significance of this would be heightened by the fact that a disproportionate number of the kids in care would have pre-existing medical challenges that might make them especially vulnerable. So, they need to modify their usual practices for the duration.