David Stanton
Question:32 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the supports planned and in place to support positive parenting; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29816/00]
Written Answers. - Family Support Services.
The Government's Families First approach is designed to make families central to policy making and the development of services. In 2001 Government investment in the development of a range of family services in my Department will amount to more than £16.5 million compared with £1.5 million in 1997.
The new and greatly expanded services developed over the past three years include the family mediation service which is now available from eleven centres nationwide, up from two in 1997; a greatly improved grant aid programme for voluntary organisations providing marriage, child and bereavement counselling, £4.81 million in 2001; the introduction of some 67 family and community services resource centres which provide community based support programmes for families, up from ten in 1997; a £5 million allocation to provide out of school hours services for children, and family services pilot projects in Finglas, Waterford and Togher and Mahon in Cork, providing high quality information on a range of services to families.
Strengthening families and the promotion of continuity and stability in family life, the welfare of children and support and affirmation for parents in carrying out their important child rearing responsibilities are core features of the pro-families policy approach. A family affairs unit has been established at my Department with a range of responsibilities relating to the development of family policies and services in line with this approach.
The importance of accessible information about parenting issues and child development to strengthen the capacity of families in carrying out their essential functions of caring for children was highlighted by the Commission on the Family. The family affairs unit in consultation with the Department of Health and Children is exploring what would be involved in the development of such an information programme.
Consultations have been initiated with key interests including child care and family support organisations and professional child health and welfare bodies.
Research is under way under the families research programme on a number of themes highly relevant to parenting, including, Effective Parenting – An Exploration of Need, this project involves a survey of 1000 parents and 200 children; Strengthening Families through Fathers, this research will provide up to date information on the role, involvement, and caring work of vulnerable fathers in families in need, and Grandparenthood in Modern Ireland, which will pro vide information about the important supports provided by the extended family.
In addition, my Department is working closely with the national conjoint child health committee, established under the health boards, which is exploring the support needs of parents in promoting children's health gain and well being.
The deliberations of this expert group and the outcome over the next six months of the various research projects will be critical to the development by my Department of a programme of parent information which is affirmative of parents skills and strengths, builds confidence in families and keeps children's welfare centre stage – an approach which is endorsed by the national children's strategy recently launched by the Government.
I expect to be in a position to announce details of a pilot programme in mid-2001.