Vol. 512 No. 7
31 Mr. Wall asked the Minister for Health and Children if he has carried out an assessment of the number of additional social workers required to implement in full the guidelines in the recently published Children First document; the steps, if any, taken to ensure that adequate numbers of training places are being provided to meet this demand; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27157/99]
Children First – National Guidelines for the Protection and Welfare of Children is intended to support and guide health professionals, teachers, and members of the Garda Síochána and the many people in sporting, cultural, community and voluntary organisations who come into regular contact with children. The main objectives of the guidelines which were published in late September 1999 are: to improve the identification, reporting, assessment, treatment and management of child abuse; to clarify the responsibilities of various professionals and individuals within organisations; and to enhance communication and co-ordination of information between disciplines and organisations.
Implementation of the guidelines and the associated recommendations will require additional investment over a number of years. The full implementation of Children First will require careful and planned strategies for improved service delivery models and I have allocated an additional £3.25 million in 2000 to health boards in order to commence this process.
32 Mr. Spring asked the Minister for Health and Children the steps, if any, he is taking to reduce or eliminate waiting lists for social work services for children who are the victims of abuse or neglect; his views on the length of the waiting lists; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27160/99]
This Government has undertaken a broad range of measures to strengthen and further develop child care services, including child protection services. Next year an additional £30 million approximately in revenue funding will be provided for these services. This includes £3.25 million specifically earmarked to strengthen child protection services and training for personnel whose role involves direct contact with children and families. These developments follow the publication of important new national guidelines, Children First – National Guidelines for the Protection and Welfare of Children, in September of this year. The guidelines are designed to support and guide health professionals, teachers, and members of the Garda Síochána and the many people in sporting, cultural, community and voluntary organisations who come into regular contact with children.
The objectives of the national guidelines are: to improve the identification, reporting, assessment, treatment and management of child abuse; to clarify the responsibilities of various professionals and individuals within organisations; and to enhance communication and co-ordination of information between disciplines and organisations.
In addition, there are a wide range of other family support and child care services which are being further developed in order to strengthen preventative services. These include the launch of the springboard initiative, the teenage parenting programme, the provision of additional family resource centres, family support workers, community child care workers, neighbourhood youth projects and parenting skills programmes.
The Government has also decided to prepare a national children's strategy which will map out a direction for the next ten years through a set of realisable goals which will address all aspects of services for children and young persons. Last month I invited submissions to the interdepartmental group responsible for developing the strategy and it is anticipated that it will be published early next year.
