§ Mr. Soleyasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the current occupancy rate of residential homes in Northern Ireland; what facilities are available to enable young people to make the transition from residential care into dependent living; how many children and young people are presently in care; how much it costs to maintain someone in residential care; and how many are fostered and what is the individual cost of this.
§ Mr. Chris PattenAt June 1984, the average occupancy rate of residential units for children and young people in care in Northern Ireland was 76 per cent.
Three residential facilities, comprising 20 places, operate as hostel and flatlet accommodation designed to prepare young people for independent living. A further nine facilities provide semi-independent living units as part of their residential accommodation for young people. In addition, programmes of training are arranged by staff in units which cater for young people to prepare them for discharge from care.
At 31 December 1983 (the latest date for which provisional figures are available) 2,569 children and young people were in the care of the health and social services boards in Northern Ireland. Six hundred and fifty eight of these children and young people were accommodated in residential care.
It is not possible, from available information, to identify the full cost of maintaining a child in residential care. In the 1982–83 financial year (the latest year for which provisional figures are available) the average cost per resident per week in statutory children's homes was approximately £228. The average weekly rate paid by Boards in 1983 for the maintenance of children in care accommodated in voluntary homes was approximately £115. However, these figures do not include the cost of non-residential social work staff time devoted to children in residential care and their families and, in the case of voluntary homes, do not take account of the costs met from voluntary funds.
At 31 December 1983 (the latest date for which provisional figures are available) 1,224 children were in foster care in Northern Ireland.
It is not possible to identify the individual cost of maintaining a child in foster care. Allowances paid to foster parents vary according to the age and circumstances of the child concerned; furthermore, it is not possible to identify the costs of social work staff time involved in foster care placements.
§ Mr. Soleyasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many residential staff of residential children's 796W homes in Northern Ireland have been prosecuted, in the last five years, for offences against children and young persons in their care; and how many children's homes have been closed because of allegations of misconduct.
§ Mr. Chris PattenIn the last five years, eight members of staff of residential children's homes have been charged with offences against children in their care in the homes. Six of the eight persons were convicted of the offences. A further member of staff of a children's home was convicted of offences against children in care in a home which he visited in a voluntary capacity. One children's home was closed as a result of criminal charges being brought against members of staff of the home.