Minutes of Aftercare Forum
10th Jan. 2005, George’s Hill Dublin.
Present:
Linda Duggan, Aislinn Aftercare Service.
Trena Ratcliffe, N.A.H.B.
Jacqueline Cooray, Belvedere Social Services.
Nuala O’Reilly.
Evelyn Ward, Crosscare.
Sally Scott, M.W.H.B.
Norma Fitzgerald, Oberstown Girls.
Alan Hendrick, Smyleys Aftercare.
Tina Diggins, S.H.B.
Maurice Fenton, Trinity House
Geraldine Durrin.
Chair: Linda Duggan.
Minutes: Tina Diggins.
Apologies: Brid Feeney.
Claire O’Neill
Anna Farrell.
Agenda: Introductions
Minutes of previous meeting 8/11/04
Feedback – Agnes Feely
Website.
Treasurer’s Update.
Leargas.
Challenges to the delivery of Aftercare Services.
Mike Stein.
Irish Foster Care Assoc.
Job Descriptions.
Dates of meetings for 2005.
Matters Arising: Slides have still not been received from Agnes Feely. Sally will get in touch with her regarding this.
The leaving and aftercare policy/guidelines are still at draft stage with all the services, people were asked to bring this matter to the attention of their boards, where possible.
Website: Maurice said that he had initially put Focus Irl. and Trinity House on the website as sponsors. He has now taken these off as the legal position is still unclear. Maurice said that we may need to put a disclaimer on the website. We could use one already in existence but we would still need to have it checked over by a solicitor. We may have to pay for this. Trena said she may know someone who would do this for us, she will liase with Maurice on this. Maurice said that Trinity House may want to put an advert on the website. We need to decide if we are going to have adverts on the site and if we are, we must decide on a fee and who, if anyone, is exempt from the fee Maurice will update the names, addresses and e mail nos. on the website.
Treasurers:
Update We have a current balance of €636.87. It was noted that subs. will be due again in the summer.
Leargas Aine Bryne from Leargas spoke to the group about EuropeanVoluntary Service. She was introduced to the group by Trena, who has already sent a number of young people to other countries through the E.V.S. scheme.
Aine gave handouts, books and brochures to the group with details of the scheme. If anyone is interested in sending a young person or getting more details they can contact leargas at 189/193 Parnell St., Dublin 1, or on their website at www.leargas.ie/youth. Michael one of the young people who has been on an E.V.S. also spoke to the group. The experience was obviously a very positive one for him and he is hoping to do another project next summer.
Sebastian, from France and currently working in Ballymun spoke to the group also. He stressed the importance of preparing the young person and also of evaluating the process at the end.
Challenges to the
Delivery of Aftercare: Sally requested this, for a meeting she is due to have with Ger Crowley (Health Service Executive) who is doing an overview of childcare services nationally. The following challenges were identified.
1. Documents need to be implemented, we have no policy, guidelines.
2. Lack of communication between parties, dept. of justice, health, education, regarding the responsibility for the provision of an aftercare service to young people.
3. Lack of standardised services for care leavers, e.g. financial.
4. Aftercare is still not part of the national care plans.
5. There is no adequate system in place for young people wishing to access their files.
Actions to ensure
the delivery of
Aftercare Service: 1. Signing off on Aftercare policy.
2. Address lack of communication.
3. Provision of adequate aftercare package to address practical,
educational, social, vocational, emotional needs.
4. Include section on Care Plan re.Aftercare provision. The
Aftercare team to be contacted at statutory review nearest to
the young persons 16th birthday.
6. Set up an adequate system for file access.
Mike Stein: Topics for Mike Stein to be discussed at the next meeting.
People can be thinking about what they would like discussed.
I.F.C.A. Representatives from the Irish Foster Carers Assoc. contacted
Sally and Linda, they have asked to meet with the group. We
discussed the format for this meeting. It was decided that each
person would do an outline of he service that they provide.
we will ask the I.F.C.A. to give us a list of questions that they
would like answered, these can be e mailed to Maurice. We
will also give them a copy of the Terms of Reference.
Job. Descriptions: Evelyn has these. We will hopefully get around to looking at
At a future meeting.
Dates for 2005: March 7th
May 9th or 10th
June 27th or 28th
Sept. 5th or 6th
Nov. 7th or 8th.
( A request was made to have the meetings on a day other than
Mon. We will have to check if the room is available. That is
The reason why there are two dates)