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Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 11 Dec 2001

Vol. 546 No. 3

Written Answers. - Departmental Reports.

Eamon Gilmore

Question:

40 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs when the report, Parenting in Ireland, A Study of Parenting Support Needs, will be published; the main findings of the study; the action he intends to take on the basis of the findings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31597/01]

The report, "Supporting Parenting: a Study of Parents' Support Needs" was published and officially launched on 27 November. The report was undertaken by the Centre for Social and Educational Research, CSER, in the Dublin Institute of Technology, Rathmines under the families research programme, which I introduced in 1999 to support innovative, original research in the field of family policy and family services.

"Supporting Parenting" is a comprehensive and in-depth study of parents' perspectives on their parenting role and the supports available to them. The study involved 1000 parents, 800 mothers and 200 fathers with diverse economic, social and family backgrounds.

It contains analyses of the interest shown by parents in parenting education and classes, the factors which influence them in their parenting styles, their concerns about the physical and parental care of their children and both parents' and children's views about the enjoyable aspects of parenting relationships.

The parents surveyed identified a wide range of supports for themselves and their children. These include play, leisure and recreation facilities, financial support with child care expenses and for stay-at-home parents and additional support with day-to-day expenses for parents on lower incomes to assist with school costs and to facilitate parents' involvement in education and training.

The report contains a series of recommendations to strengthen the family services infrastructure in Ireland. The establishment of the Family Support Agency is highlighted as providing a key mechanism to respond to the challenges of providing co-ordinated responses to the varied nature of families' support needs.

The Family Support Agency Bill completed all stages in the Dáil two weeks ago and is at present before Seanad Éireann. It is my intention to establish the new agency as soon as the legislative process is complete.

Many of the issues raised by parents surveyed in the study have been singled out for attention as part of the Government's "Families First" approach designed to make the promotion of family well-being central to policy. Major improvements have been introduced in child care provision, in the one parent family payment scheme and in opportunities for lone parents to access education, training and employment opportunities.

Budget 2002 for the second year in a row provides for record investment in child benefit for all children from April 2002. Weekly rates of all income support payments for families have been increased significantly. The weekly increases are to be paid from January 2002. Substantial improvements have been provided for in the back to school clothing and footwear allowance and in family income supplement in 2002.
An additional £1.3 million or 1.7 million has been provided for the further development by the Family Support Agency of family counselling services in the voluntary sector and for the family and community resource centres – programmes identified in the report as providing important services to parents. The findings of "Supporting Parenting: A Study of Parents' Support Needs" will contribute to the further development of all of these services particularly in the context of the development of the responsibilities of the new Family Support Agency.
Copies of the report have been circulated to Members of the Oireachtas, to researchers in the field of family policy and to the media. The report is being further disseminated to Departments, to the social partners, to voluntary and community groups with an interest in family matters and to other interest groups.
Question No. 41 answered with Question No. 29.
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