AQW 15698/22-27
Mr Stephen Dunne
Democratic Unionist Party
North Down
Tabled Date: 25/09/2024
Answered On Date: 09/10/2024
Priority Written: No
Question:
To ask the Minister of Health to detail the number of residential places for children with disabilities in each of the last five years, broken down by Health and Social Care Trust.
Answer:
I fully recognise that there has been increasing challenges, rising demand and increased complexity of need within the Children with Disability Service. The department understands that there has been an increasing need for residential places for Children with Disability over the previous five-year period, and this has on occasion resulted in residential short break units being re-purposed by some HSC Trusts to accommodate children who require longer term care. With regard to residential places for Children with Disabilities in each of last five years, my department officials have liaised directly with each HSC Trust, who have provided the below outlined information in respect of the full-time residential places for children with disability in each of the last 5 years: Belfast HSC Trust: Full Time Residential Care Placements for Children with Disability | 2019 - 2020 | 7 | 2020 - 2021 | 6 | 2021 - 2022 | 5 | 2022 - 2023 | 10 | 2023 - 2024 | 11 |
South Eastern HSC Trust: Full Time Residential Care Placements for Children with Disability | 2020 | 11 commissioned residential places beds (this does include 1 bed commissioned with an independent private provider residential unit). There were also an additional 5 residential care places that were provided by the Trust in a Short Break Unit that was re-purposed. Total: 16 | 2021 | 12 commissioned residential places (this does include 1 bed commissioned with an independent private provider residential unit & also includes 1 Extra Contractual Referral Residential Placement). There were also an additional 4 residential care places that were provided by the Trust in a Short Break Unit that was re-purposed. Total: 16 | 2022 | 12 commissioned residential places ((this does include 1 bed commissioned with an independent private provider residential unit & also includes 1 Extra Contractual Referral Residential Placement). There were also an additional 4 residential care places that were provided by the Trust in a Short Break Unit that was re-purposed. Total: 16 | 2023 | 11 commissioned residential places ((this does include 1 bed commissioned with an independent private provider residential unit). There were also an additional 2 residential care places that were provided by the Trust in a Short Break Unit that was re-purposed. Total: 13 | 2024 | 12 commissioned residential places ((this does include 1 bed commissioned with an independent private provider residential unit). There have also been an additional 3 residential care places that were provided by the Trust in a Short Break Unit that was re-purposed. Total: 15 |
Northern HSC Trust: Full Time Residential Care Placements for Children with Disability | 2020 | 3 Full Time Residential Placements | 2021 | 5 Full Time Residential Placements | 2022 | 5 Full Time Residential Placements | 2023 | 5 Full Time Residential Placements | 2024 | 5 Full Time Residential Placements |
Southern HSC Trust: Full Time Residential Care Placements for Children with Disability | 2020 | 5 Full Time Residential Places | 2021 | 5 Full Time Residential Places | 2022 | 5 Full Time Residential Places | 2023 | 5 Full Time Residential Places | 2024 | 5 Full Time Residential Places |
Western HSC Trust: Full Time Residential Care Placements for Children With Disability | 2020 - 2021 | 1 Full Time Residential Placement | 2021 - 2022 | 2 Full Time Residential Placements | 2022 - 2023 | 2 Full Time Residential Placements | 2023 - 2024 | 2 Full Time Residential Placements | 2024 - 2025 | 3 Full Time Residential Placements Until September 2024 when Reduced To 2 Full Time Residential Placements. | The Western HSC Trust have currently repurposed their two short break units (Rosebud Cottage & Avalon House) to also accommodate 7 Medium to Long term Placements (across both homes). The Western HSC Trust is currently not providing residential short breaks for Children with Disability, the Trust anticipates that one Short Break unit (Rosebud Cottage) will reopen when the Trust’s residential unit is refurbished and registered with RQIA. |
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