THE EXTENSIVE counselling given to the 33 Chilean miners after they were trapped underground recently was contrasted with the dearth of help for children taken into foster care.
UK-based Dr Jane Asquith told the Irish Foster Care Association’s national conference in Westport, Co Mayo at the weekend she knew children who had been under similar stress and yet people seemed to think they did not need any care when they came out of that environment.
She explained: “They are traumatised and these are children who have no control over what has happened.”
Dr Asquith told the story of a little boy kept in an attic for two years, fed by friends and family to keep him alive, and how he was eventually rescued and fostered.
“He was a very difficult child to care for. Nobody thought he needed any counselling or help, and yet he had been there for two years,” she said.
Minister of State for Children and Youth Affairs Barry Andrews told the conference he had reaffirmed his personal commitment to advancing the referendum on children’s rights.
He said the 2007 Referendum Bill and the wording proposed in February by a joint committee, chaired by Mary O’Rourke TD, contained provisions dealing with adoption.
“Either proposal would enable many children who are in long-term foster care to be adopted. Legislation would have to clearly spell out the circumstances under which the child can be placed for adoption, Mr Andrews said.
“Of course, adoption of children in long-term foster care is already provided for in legislation (1988 Adoption Act) and I often wonder why this option is not employed more,” he added.
Mr Andrews said a key element of the action plan published by his office in response to the Ryan Report in July 2009 was the recruitment of extra social workers for child protection services. He had been assured by the Health Service Executive that all 200 posts would be filled by the end of the year.