Written Answers. - Barnardo's “Children First” Report.
Dermot Ahern
Question:
72
Mr. D. Ahern
asked the
Minister for Health
if his attention has been drawn to the recent Barnardo report entitled Children First; what measures, if any, he proposes to take in order to rectify the matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[8342/96]
I welcome the publication by Barnados of the report "Children First", which is a timely and important contribution to the continuing debate of how best to promote the welfare and protection of children in this country. The report looks at child poverty, child abuse, juvenile justice, educational disadvantage and drug abuse.
The Government, in its policy document A Government of Renewal has given a clear commitment to putting in place adequate policies and services for children and their families who are regarded as being at risk or disadvantaged. A first step in this regard was my appointment as Minister of State at the Departments of Health, Education and Justice with special responsibility for developing and co-ordinating policies and services in relation to child care. The Government also established a Cabinet Committee on Children, representative of the Ministers for Health, Education, Justice, Equality and Law Reform and Social Welfare to co-ordinate and review progress on the comprehensive commitments contained in our policy document.
Considerable progress has been achieved in improving supports to vulnerable children and their families. The Government has concentrated on adopting a multi-dimensional approach involving a combination of legislative and service measures in certain key areas.
A top priority has been the implementation of the remaining sections of Child Care Act, 1991. Many of the principles and strategies contained in the Barnardos document reflect those of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, which was ratified by this country on 28 September 1992. The philosophy of the Convention is also closely reflected in the Child Care Act.
The concepts of the rights of the child, and of the best interests of the child, are to the forefront of all actions relating to the Child Care Act. Sixty-one of the seventy nine sections of the legislation are now in force. The most complex provisions of the Act were introduced in October last. These greatly strengthen the powers of the health boards, the courts and the Garda to intervene in cases where children are at risk. The remaining eighteen provisions of the Act, in relation to preschool services and childrens residential centres, will come into force before the end of this year.
Extra funding in the region of £35 million on an annualised basis has been provided to health boards to develop a wide range of child and family support services to enable them operate the new legislation in partnership with the voluntary sector. I will shortly be in a position to announce a detailed child care action plan for 1996.
The pro-child and pro-family thrust of Government policy has made considerable progress in other areas. Child benefits has, for example, been increased by 45 per cent over the first two budgets of this Government. These measures directly benefit over one million children and almost half a million families.
The Department of Justice is preparing legislation which will replace the Children Act, 1908 with a new framework for dealing with young offenders. Important features of the legislation will be an emphasis on early intervention, for example, by placing the Garda Diversion Programme on a statutory basis and the provision of community sanctions and measures which the courts can impose.
It is a fundamental objective of the White Paper on Education that the rate of retention in schools to completion of the senior cycle should increase to 90 per cent by the end of the decade. Progress in the achievement of this target is being made, and rates of retention have increased from 70 per cent in 1986 to 82 per cent at present.
The Department of Education has a range of strategies in place which are designed to prevent early school leaving and to encourage disadvantaged pupils to participate more fully in the education system. These include the development of early start centres; the allocation of additional resources to schools in disadvantaged areas; the home school community liaison scheme; curricular reforms to allow students to make choices relevant to their abilities and aptitudes; improvements in the quality of teaching and qualification systems; expansion of psychology and guidance services; expansion of concessionary teaching posts; support for junior and senior centres for travellers; the free book scheme for necessitous pupils; alleviation of examination fees for necessitous pupils; the development of second chance education and training options through Youthreach and the vocational training opportunities scheme.
The Government recently approved a comprehensive range of measures for the prevention of drug misuse and the treatment of persons who are already misusing drugs. Special attention is given to improving the provision of services for drug misusers in the Eastern Health Board area and stressing the crucial role that education and the promotion of healthy lifestyles can play in the prevention of drug misuse. This programme includes strengthening existing school-based substance misuse prevention programmes.
I note that the report by Barnardos calls for the introduction of mandatory reporting in relation to child abuse and neglect. The House will be aware that I recently launched a discussion paper, entitled "Putting Children First", which highlights the main issues associated with mandatory reporting. This paper has been widely circulated to allow full and detailed consideration of the implications of introducing such a legislative requirement. When this consultation process is completed, I will be in a position to make decisions concerning the question of mandatory reporting.
I share the concerns expressed by many within our society including Barnardos, on the need to continue to prioritise measures to assist vulnerable children and families. I am fully committed to achieving further progress in this regard and the issues raised in the Barnardos report will be carefully considered in this context.
