Vol. 505 No. 4
128 Ms Fitzgerald asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will support the home-start preventative programme with children and families; the resources, if any, he will make available to this programme which is expanding; and the resources, if any, he has made available to support families who are dealing with problems which have not yet reached crisis situation and are in need of support, resources and attention. [14004/99]
I have received a proposal from Homestart for funding to expand their services and the proposal has been circulated to health boards. The health boards current allocation includes funding for innovative prevention projects of this type.
The Government established the young people at risk programme in 1998 and funding of £7.2 million over a three year period has been committed to fund family support projects in the eight health board areas. These projects, known as the springboard initiatives, primarily target children at risk and will work in an integrated manner with them, engaging with families as well as children and working in collaboration with other agencies involved with the families.
An additional £15 million revenue is being provided in 1999 for the development of child care services. The services provided include a range of child care and family support initiatives such as pre-school services, parenting courses, community mothers programme, family and adolescent resource centres, support work with families experiencing difficulties, child psychiatric and psychology services, support for foster care groups, neighbourhood youth projects, youth homeless support services, and support for and co-operation with relevant voluntary and community organisations who provide child care and family support services.
