BYCATHERINE COOK

AN increasing number of children in Donegal are having to be placed in foster care as the result of a drug-abusing parent.

There are currently 102 children in foster care in Donegal, placed with 75 families throughout the County and also in three residential homes in the Letterkenny area.

Speaking to the Donegal News this week, Principal Social Worker for Alternative Care for Donegal, Mr Gerry Hone explained: "Most children are considered to be at risk within the community and their own family when they are at the receiving end of domestic violence, physical or alcohol abuse."

With specific regard to drug abuse, Mr Hone stated: "This is definitely an increasing problem and in Donegal there is an increase in the number of children needing to be fostered because their parents are dependant on heroin or other well-known drugs."

He continued: "There is definitely a problem with drug misuse which is also starting to emerge among the teenage population of Donegal. The first place this manifests itself is through the schools. And it is not just in big towns, but through rural areas as well."

With regard to children who have suffered sexual abuse, Mr Hone explained: "If the non-abusing parent refuses to report the other one or do anything about it, then our hands are tied and we are not able to intervene."

Mr Hone also commented their services are sometimes sought by parents who are finding it difficult to cope. "Sometimes we get people who come to us voluntarily. Some people are able to recognise their own weaknesses and then we find places for their children in foster care in order to give the parents a break."

Mr Hone, a native of Donegal Town, has worked in the field of foster care for over 17 years both in England and Ireland, he commented: "In all my years working in this area it has emerged that the biggest contributing factor to children being placed in foster care is alcohol. Drug addictions can be managed, but alcohol is more difficult to deal with."

There are currently over fifty staff involved in social work in Donegal. They are concentrated in a number of different factions providing services and support to deal with children's welfare.

The average stay of a child in foster care is between two to three months. The Constitution, however, causes difficulty for foster parents who wish to adopt and on these grounds a number of children are placed in foster care on a long-term basis.

There is also a severe deficit of foster families in a number of areas.

"We need more foster carers in the Letterkenny area, Finn Valley and west Donegal, where we have identified a shortage."

To this end, it is now planned, over the coming months to provide more information to the public about what fostering entails in the hope of encouraging more people to become involved.

Mr Hone stated the preferred option for fostering is always to look at the possibility of placing children with relatives in the extended family network.

"Foster care is a demanding task

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