Vol. 512 No. 7
12 Ms Shortall asked the Minister for Health and Children the additional resources required for the full implementation of Children First, the national guidelines for the protection and welfare of children; the strategy, if any, he has with regard to resources and the timescale to achieve this; the way in which he will put these guidelines on a statutory basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27322/99]
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 I 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.
In order to ensure wide circulation of the document Children First, I have arranged for 50,000 copies of the guidelines to be distributed among the health boards, schools and the Garda Síochána. This is in addition to 75,000 copies of the summary publication which are available free of charge from health boards and are aimed at voluntary organisations dealing with children. I have also arranged for 133,000 public information leaflets to be distributed by the health boards. I am pleased that the feedback to date on the guidelines from the various groups and individuals dealing with children has been very positive.
This Government has undertaken a broad range of measures to strengthen and further develop child care services, including child protection services. An additional £30 million in revenue funding will be provided for these services in 2000. The full implementation of Children First will take time and requires improved service delivery models. Additional resources will be required to put in place a framework that supports these new models. The additional funding allocated in 2000 includes £3.25 million specifically earmarked for implementation of Children First. This is a significant level of investment and I will continue to ensure that investment continues until full implementation is achieved.
An implementation group has been established by the chief executive officers of the health boards to consider the implications for service delivery and to make arrangements for the uniform implementation of Children First across all health boards. In addition, arrangements are under way for the appointment of an additional person to the Social Services Inspectorate. This will allow the Social Services Inspectorate to monitor the implementation of Children First at health board level. The remit of the Establishment Group on the Social Services Inspectorate is also being expanded to include the monitoring of the implementation of Children First.
The question of putting Children First on a statutory basis will be examined in the context of a White Paper on mandatory reporting, which is being prepared in my Department.
There is no doubt these guidelines are comprehensive and welcome but there is a danger that they will be left on the shelf. Until such time as they are put on a statutory basis they will not have the intended effect. I am surprised the Minister is talking about waiting for the White Paper on mandatory reporting. The guidelines fall short of mandatory reporting. Why not put them on a statutory basis and give them the force of law? Mandatory reporting can be considered later. Why not take the first step? What is the timescale for completion of the White Paper?
It is my intention that the guidelines will be put on a statutory footing. What is more important, however, is the proper implementation of the guidelines. It is not true to say that the work done so far will be put on the shelf. There is a very active exercise in my Department and in health boards in regard to their implementation. The fact that we have provided an extra allocation of £3.25 million this year to implement them is evidence of the Government's commitment. That deals with training, empowering professionals and children and reporting child abuse. It is only right to publish the While Paper which will deal with mandatory reporting and discuss the issue in relation to that. I do not have a timescale for completion of the White Paper but I assure the Deputy that it is being worked on in my Department. Many submissions were made and there are many issues to be addressed. I am confident the White Paper will give a very good analysis of this issue. It will be published as soon as possible.
How much of the £3.25 million is for staff costs? Does the Minister accept there is a crisis in social work services, particularly in the Eastern Health Board area where almost 600 children are awaiting referral on suspicion of sexual or physical abuse or neglect? Does the Minister accept there is a real difficulty in recruiting staff? At any one time up to 10 per cent of social worker posts are vacant. What steps is the Minister taking to ensure staff will be available? Has he been in contact with third level colleges in that regard?
As the money was allocated very recently, I do not have a breakdown of the £3.25 million but there will be some staff allocations in order to recruit people to train across the spectrum. I am satisfied that for the first time, particularly in the Eastern Health Board, we are get ting to grips with the problem of people waiting and so on. I wish to show my appreciation to the Minister for the allocation of £32 million this year in the Estimates compared to an allocation of £8 million two years ago and £5 million three years ago of additional money. It shows there is a commitment to deal with the crisis that existed in the past and I am satisfied it is being tackled. I agree there is a serious problem in recruiting staff. I have asked some of the health boards to look at the possibility of recruiting staff in the United States and Germany. We are getting quite a good response. We have almost run dry in terms of the United Kingdom. I have spoken to third level colleges, in particular UCHG, about having a new programme for training social workers and child care workers. We find it very difficult to recruit qualified people.
Is the Minister of State aware that the social work course in Trinity—
A brief question, Deputy, please. We are over time on this question.
—is very heavily oversubscribed? It has the capacity for a large number of additional students so why not remain with the college that has the expertise and expand the intake there?
I do not have a major difficulty with that. We have spoken to Trinity. If there is to be expansion we should also look at it outside of Dublin.
