Vol. 419 No. 7
103 Mr. Spring asked the Minister for Education if he will outline any specific plans he has for the implementation of parenting classes in schools, especially in disadvantaged areas; and if he will provide a timetable for their implementation.
Among the special supports currently provided to certain schools in Disadvantaged Areas is the Home/ School/Community/Liaison Programme.
The focus of this Programme is to support local schools in establishing contact with parents, encouraging parents to become involved in their children's education, organising locally based activities which contribute to closer contact between parents and teachers and establishing links with pre-school and other voluntary and statutory groups in the area. At present, a total of 45 full-time home/school/community liaison co-ordinators are in place servicing 80 primary schools in their areas.
Among the activities conducted by co-ordinators at local level is the organisation of classes for parents as part of the overall programme geared towards involving parents in their children's education. The classes organised to date under the scheme include self-development programmes; curricular classes in basic Maths, Irish and English; courses in computers and first aid; co-ordination of Adult Literacy programmes from basic literacy to the Leaving Ceritifcate. As well as these, programmes for parents of under 12's and teenagers include classes on parenting, sex education, substance awareness and child protection with varying degrees of emphasis and detail.
