Vol. 944 No. 2
21. Deputy Fiona O'Loughlin asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the impact that the recent Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools, DEIS, announcements will have on the work that is being carried out with young persons in the school completion programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14938/17]
I ask the Minister to indicate the impact the recent DEIS announcements will have on the work that is being done with young people in the schools completion programme and if she would make a statement on the matter. This is particularly in regard to schools where the DEIS status has been taken away and one school in County Kildare which I will give details of.
First, I want to welcome the publication of the Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools plan 2017. The DEIS plan aims to achieve a more robust assessment framework for identifying schools and allocating resources. It also seeks to support best practice in schools through inter-agency collaboration. The educational welfare service of Tusla will be very important in this regard. The implementation of these and other key goals in the plan will lead to an improved learning experience and outcomes for pupils attending DEIS schools.
The educational welfare service of Tusla, officials from the Department of Children and Youth Affairs and the Department of Education and Skills will be meeting in the coming weeks to discuss the inclusion in the school completion programme of schools that have been included in the DEIS programme for the first time in 2017. The group will also examine schools that are currently in the school completion programme but do not have DEIS status. Following these meetings, proposals will be developed and given to me for consideration. I anticipate that any changes that may result from this process will not come into effect until September 2018 at the earliest. In this regard, the educational welfare service has confirmed that no changes are planned in relation to the school completion programme for the 2017-18 school year. No new schools are entering or leaving the programme.
The Department of Children and Youth Affairs continues to work with the educational welfare service to implement the recommendations of the Economic and Social Research Institute report on the school completion programme and to make sure that children and young people get the best outcome possible for our investment. Tusla has taken a number of actions to address the findings of that report and to strengthen the operation of the programme for the future.
I am strongly committed to the continued support and development of the school completion programme. I believe that the new DEIS plan will play a valuable role in that regard.
I thank the Minister for her response. I note that she welcomes the delivery of the report and all the positive aspects that DEIS status can bring to a school. It is therefore even more concerning when DEIS status is taken from a school.
I recently asked the Minister about the very difficult situation in Kildare where not one school received a new status. The Minister assured me that DEIS status would not be taken from any school there. In early March, one of the schools in my constituency, Kildare community school, was informed by letter from the Department that its DEIS status would be taken from it. I have tried to raise this under Topical Issues since then. There is an anomaly that the school completion programme is with Tusla and the two cross over, which is why I only have the opportunity to raise it with the Minister. I ask that this issue be raised when officials from the Department of Children and Youth Affairs meet with those of the Department of Education and Skills.
There are 880 students in Kildare community school. More than 250 of them are expected to avail of various DEIS supports available. Of the students, 60% come from DEIS primary schools. It is a great school but it is dependent on extra supports from the DEIS scheme.
The school and the community are making great efforts in that regard. The letter I received from the Department states that the school completion programme, as well as the home-school liaison scheme, will be taken from the school. That is not good enough, and I want the Minister to ask the Minister for Education and Skills to reverse that decision.
I am indicating in my answer that, as we move forward, it is not necessarily the case that DEIS and school completion will be coupled. I am saying we need to look at that again, in light of the DEIS review, its focus and its reform. I am not saying that we will necessarily decouple but the case the Deputy has put to me, and the Minister for Education and Skills also, needs to be listened to in general. In terms of the particular case, however, I will bring the Deputy's concerns to the Minister for Education and Skills as, clearly, it is within his remit.
I compliment the school completion programme, which has been in existence for over 15 years since Fianna Fáil introduced it. It has been identified as a model of best practice by the European Union and the OECD as a targeted programme that increases retention rates in schools and reduces educational disadvantage. However, I understand that its budget has been reduced and that there may be plans to reduce it further. Is the Minister committed to reversing the resource cuts to school completion programmes across the country? Will she instruct Tusla to restore the programme's educational focus? There are reports that the Department intends to downgrade the programme. I want the Minister to assure those of us in this House, and the people in the community, that this programme will be consolidated as a proactive, preventative programme rather than a reactive one. I believe it should come under the remit of the Department of Education and Skills as opposed to Tusla. I appreciate that the Minister will make the Minister for Education and Skills aware of the argument concerning the community school in Kildare but there are wider issues around it also.
To be perfectly clear, there were no funding cuts regarding the school completion programme 2014-2015 allocation of €24.7 million. Tusla has confirmed that the funding this year is €24.756 million and that there has been no cut in funding for the year 2016-17. I am not sure where the Deputy is getting that information from and I am not clear on her concerns about the scaling back of this kind of programme. The opposite is the case. In terms of school completion, the ambition is to engage in major reform. That is already taking place in terms of the response of the education and welfare service with a director, who I had the opportunity to meet because of my own concerns in this regard, responding line by line to the different recommendations from the ESRI report to make it even more effective. That is the first phase with regard to our commitment to the school completion programme.
The next question, No. 22, is in the name of Deputy Bríd Smith. Deputy Smith is not present.
23. Deputy Jan O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she has given further consideration to concerns raised regarding the proposed single affordable child care scheme that some of the poorest families will have less access for their children to after-school provision including homework clubs and social activities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15135/17]
I acknowledge that other members of the committee have raised this issue, Deputy Ó Laoghaire in particular. It is to do with the fact that the new single affordable child care scheme will offer less support for unemployed families than for families where the parents are at work. I know the intention is to support people going out to work and so on but it will disadvantage some of the poorest children in the country. We engaged with the Minister on this issue in the committee. Is further consideration being given to the concern, particularly of the community child care sector?
The affordable child care scheme will give priority to the poorest families. The highest rates of subsidy will go to families with the lowest incomes. In particular, the maximum rate of subsidy will go to families with net income below €22,700, which means that all families below the relative income poverty line will receive the maximum hourly rate of subsidy. For school-age children, the maximum subsidy will be €3.76 per hour, which amounts to €38 per week for a two-hour per day after-school session.
I want to ensure a balanced approach to eligibility: while people will qualify for a subsidy based purely on income, parents’ participation in work or training will determine the number of hours of subsidy available. When parents are engaged in work, including part-time work and labour market activation programmes or education or training, they will be eligible for an enhanced hours subsidy of up to 40 hours per week. When parents are not in work or training, child care will be subsidised on a standard hours basis of up to 15 hours per week.
I believe that this is a reasonable approach. It will mean that this scheme is open, albeit for standard hours rather than enhanced hours, to parents who stay at home to care for their children and are not taking part in work or training but who choose to avail of up to 15 hours of child care per week. In the case of school-going children, the child development objectives are met through school-going hours and, as such, the 15 standard hours child care applies to non-term time.
I acknowledge that where a parent is at home and not engaged in work or study, the family will not benefit from subsidised after-school child care. However, I believe it is important that the scheme should actively support labour market participation through linking the number of hours of subsidy to a family’s need for child care for the purpose of work, education or training.
The concern that has been expressed to me in an e-mail is that, in effect, this means that children of unemployed parents will not be able to attend after-school and avail of the homework help, development of social skills and learning provided, apart from the 15 hours during non-term time. This is a genuine concern, particularly of the community sector. I acknowledge that labour market participation is one of the objectives of the scheme but the main objective is child-centred and child-focused. I do not know if the Minister has met the people who are directly concerned about this issue but there is a genuine fear that in some cases community child care services would not be able to afford to continue. An additional concern, apart from the concern around the children themselves, is that some of these services will not be viable under the new scheme. The legislation has not been passed yet so I do not know if there is an opportunity to consider the effects of this particular element of it but the Minister might do that.
Deputy Ó Laoghaire has a question that is combined with Deputy Jan O'Sullivan's question.
I thank the Minister. I support the Deputy asking the question and want to place on record again that it is an issue of concern, particularly in that it interacts with the change in regulations, which we have discussed already. The community services particularly affected are those providing services to children aged up to three years because of the much-reduced ratio they are dealing with in the absence of community employment, CE, workers. The change in the subsidy means that this aspect of the community sector is at particular risk, and I have spoken to the Minister previously about a number of services in both the north side and south side of my own city, but we should perhaps consider an enhanced capitation of some form for community settings in disadvantaged areas.
I thank both Deputies who are highlighting a number of interrelated issues. On the initial question, I referred in my answer to people who are working, in part-time work or in training versus being unemployed and we might continue this discussion. It is about labour market activation but also encouraging people to move into forms of training and if parents are able to do that, those subsidies will be available to them. It is only right that we encourage that, although I am not saying that we would not necessarily look at that again. I understand the point about the unemployed but incentivisation in terms of training is really important. I know it couples with all of the other issues, some of which I have already addressed.
Does Deputy Jan O'Sullivan have a final supplementary?
Sometimes women who are at home do not have access to training because they are not on the live register. That is something which must be considered as well. Ultimately, my concern is that we would not make some good community schemes unviable into the future.
I agree with that. It would also be my concern. As part of this debate and if we look at it in the context of the committee, we need to look at access to training and requirements in that regard and whether they have changed enough so that people can have that access because, of course, it would not be something I would wish for, as the Deputy appreciates. At the same time, we have already said that in respect of lone parents who may be in training or education and have access to a certain level of subsidy, it will be no less as we move toward in terms of the transition to the new child care scheme to enable them to complete that training. I have met many of the people in these services and I understand pretty well what are the issues. My Department is committed to working with these services one by one.
24. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the extent to which she has regular contact with youth organisations with a view to ensuring a continuous dialogue with an emphasis on the challenges that modern society presents for young persons and the means of addressing these issues and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15194/17]
This question relates to the extent to which the Minister continues to maintain dialogue with voluntary youth organisations throughout the country with a view to keeping in touch with the issues that challenge young people and the potential to address same.
Meeting children, young people and those who campaign for their rights is the best part of my job. I engage with them every week. Last Saturday, I was delighted to join the FAI, the Shamrock Rovers Academy and their young players at the Roadstone Group Sports Club in Kingswood to open a world-class pitch. It was a fantastic opportunity to celebrate the result of a great partnership supported by the Government which will transform young lives. At the event, I was able to confirm funding of €380,000 for FAI community initiatives, which have cut anti-social behaviour in many communities. This will support street and night leagues and soccer leagues for young people who are homeless, as well as regional development officers. I give this simply as a recent example of my engagement with young people.
Over the past 12 months, I have visited every province to meet children and teenagers. The old excuse that young people are not interested in politics does not wash with me. My experience from Cork to Roscommon and from Dublin to Mayo is that not only are they interested, they have very strong views. I have engaged with Comhairle na nÓg, Youth Work Ireland and the National Youth Council of Ireland, to name just a few groups, and also with young members of the Traveller community, young prisoners and boys being schooled at the Oberstown campus.
As Minister, I have responded in a number of ways to the issues they have raised. Funding is being increased for youth services across the country to €57 million this year, which is a 10% rise. The first ever LGBTI+ national youth strategy is being delivered. Young people have been brought in to help form Ireland's response to Brexit and they were directly involved in deciding a future course for the north inner city. Engagement with young people is ongoing. Over the Easter break, members of Comhairle na nÓg will attend regional meetings and Brexit is on the agenda for every single one of them. They always report back to me.
Additional information not given on the floor of the House
Already we know from a national gathering I hosted at Croke Park that young people are worried Brexit could narrow college choices, jeopardise job prospects and lead to a hard Border on our island. This is a generation which has grown up in peace and with the freedom to move across our island. Croke Park told us above all that they do not want that to change. They do not want a border which would limit educational choice by limiting access to Northern Ireland and British colleges and hamper commercial activity but above all for those living in Border communities, they do not want it becoming a physical reality which interferes in their everyday social lives. I want to also acknowledge the attendance and participation of Deputies opposite on the day. These views have been shared with Government and are being acted upon. I assure the House that young people in all our communities have a voice and I am determined that it will be heard.
I thank the Minister for her comprehensive reply. I am glad to note the initiatives she set out. Could she tell me the extent to which she can continue to engage with areas of social or economic deprivation in particular with a view to identifying the issues that affect the families of young people who may be affected by the pressures around them to a greater extent than would normally be the case? To what extent can she put in place interventions of a positive nature with which these young people can identify and from which they can benefit socially and economically along with the sporting activities that are there, which could also include their health and well-being in general?
I thank the Deputy for his additional question. I have met a number of national organisations, as the Deputy is aware, on my travels. When I meet the adults, I always ask if the young people can come to the meetings as well so that I am not just meeting the people who are advocating for them, particularly in the context of Foróige, the National Youth Council of Ireland, Young Voices and Scouting Ireland. Many national organisations delivering services for young people are very keen, as am I, not only for us to continue the provision of services and to increase the funding, as I have identified, but to put in place systems and processes to hear what they think we should be doing to support their development and well-being. My Department has developed a children and young people's participation hub that is one of the best examples throughout Europe in helping us develop these processes to ensure that their voices are not only heard but heard in a way that actually influences policy and legislative change.
Does the Minister use existing youth organisations throughout the country with a view to ensuring that their views and perspectives are always kept to the fore in terms of the developmental needs of young people in their respective areas?
Without a doubt, I do. A gathering a few months ago at which some Deputies were present involved young people in the context of youth organisations and Comhairle na nÓg and discussed what they want in respect of Brexit. As we know, this is Brexit week. What is the value of such a gathering? When they came together, we heard that they were worried about narrow college choices, jeopardising job prospects and putting a hard border on our island. Above all, those living in Border communities do not want it to become a physical reality that interferes with their everyday social lives and they do not want a border that would limit their educational choice by limiting access to Northern Ireland and British colleges or that would hamper commercial activities. I have shared these views with Government and we are bringing that into the dialogue on the Brexit process.
25. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will address the gap in services for persons under 18 years of age in emergency homeless services who are out of emergency accommodation between the hours of 8.30 a.m. to 6.30 p.m. and their particularly vulnerable situation. [15032/17]
My question concerns the perceived gap in services for persons under 18 years of age in emergency homeless services who are out on the streets for long periods during the day because nobody is picking up on their issues.
Tusla funds two emergency children's residential centres that cater for young people in need of emergency care. One such centre in Dublin city centre closes during the day. The young people are not put on the street or left to their own devices. Tusla funds a dedicated service to cater for the young people during the day and afternoons at weekends. Some of the young people attend school or training courses or have a dedicated project worker such as a youth advocacy programme worker or an Empowerment Plus worker to spend time with them during the day. The project workers engage with all aspects of young person's needs such as bringing them to meetings, attendance at appointment and arranging meals. This is to ensure they stay in their emergency situation for as short a period as possible.
My Department has policy responsibility for children under 18 who present as out of home without their parent or parents or guardian or guardians but Tusla has responsibility for the provision of services to these children. Tusla considers that a child who has left their family home in an emergency has a wide range of needs, including suitable accommodation. Children under 16 who present as out of home to emergency services are taken into care.
Children aged 16 and 17 may be taken into care or, where their main need is that of accommodation, they may be provided with a service under section 5 of the Child Care Act 1991. As the Deputy knows, children become out of home for many reasons, and Tusla has informed me that it is rare for there to be a single trigger event. It is usually associated with family violence, abuse or ongoing neglect at home, or alcohol and drug addiction. It may also be caused by a young person who is already in care, leaving their residential placement. Ultimately, my wish is that we support children to live with their families and, where this is not possible, that we provide the best possible supports and care for children and young people in need.
Before I respond to this question, I would like to say that I share the concerns of previous Deputies around the effects on community child care due to the change in regulations.
I have spoken to youth workers in the north inner city of Dublin who meet these young people during the day. While staff in homeless emergency accommodation are doing their best, the reality is that there are young people who are on the street and engaging with other young people who are in addiction, who may be out begging or who are engaging in anti-social behaviour. They are exposed to that, whereas if there were a more dedicated service they might not get into that kind of behaviour. I know about the youth advocates, but it is my understanding from the other youth workers in the area who meet these young people that there are not enough of those youth advocates. There are not enough services for these young people. I believe that some of the youth advocates are meeting the young people in their cars for a few minutes just to engage with them so I believe there is a gap there. It would be good to find out some information on this. How many are involved and what are these short times they are in emergency services?
I appreciate the additional points and questions raised by Deputy O'Sullivan. They are good questions and I will certainly commit to getting the information identified by the Deputy. I am very clear that the Deputy's question relates to gaps, even though there is a special project or service there, and I hear what the Deputy is saying. The gaps may be around there not being enough people involved in that project. If that is the case, we must ask how many more are needed. A gap can also be in the kinds of services that are provided as distinct from just the numbers of people offering a service. Perhaps this could also be looked at. I think of the north inner city task force and the commitment in that part of the city for the next period of time. Perhaps that is another area where can take a look at these problems and issues.
I thank the Minister for her reply. Not all these young people are from that area of Dublin. Some of them are from outside Dublin, from other parts of Ireland, and there are some who are foreign national young people. It would be good if they could be encouraged, helped and supported to engage with the other youth projects in the area. Some of the projects are during the day, but others are not. There is more that can be done with this group. It was difficult to listen to youth workers saying that these young people are not yet into anti-social behaviour, not yet into addiction and not yet into crime. There were, however, real fears that this is where they were heading because of the lack of engagement with them. It would be good if we had more detailed information on this, and we could see where to take it from there.
I certainly can promise the Deputy that, to see how we can find the information. If the Deputy has any suggestions or recommendations, maybe we can have a conversation or a meeting with my officials later in that regard. I take the point that these young people are not necessarily just from the place the Deputy represents and where she resides.
I hear what the Deputy says around the issue. Whether it is an inter-agency approach or inter-services approach, many people are doing lots of different things in various contexts, and yet there are still gaps and they need to take a look at that. Perhaps it might also be the case that we could find some of the information we need by going to national and local youth organisations, who no doubt are keen on this matter and who would have a view on it.
26. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the status of the implementation of the access and inclusion model; her views on whether it will be sufficiently accessible to all children who are in need of extra assistance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15218/17]
The question relates to the access and inclusion model. I have read the Department's announcement about the opening up of 900 places to be made available on the higher education programme for leadership for inclusion in early years settings, known as LINC. A number of workers have raised some concerns and issues around AIM in respect of the best interests of the child. Will the Minister give an update on the implementation of the access and inclusion model? Does she believe it will be accessible to all those children who are in need of extra assistance?
I am very pleased with the progress made to date in implementing the access and inclusion model, AIM. To date, 1,820 children with a disability have benefited from the supports it provides and this number will grow over time. AIM is a child-centred model, involving seven levels of progressive support to enable the full inclusion and meaningful participation of children with disabilities in the early childhood care and education, ECCE, programme.
Since AIM was launched in June 2016, all universal elements of the model levels one to three have been implemented in line with project timelines. Specifically, a new higher education programme for leadership for inclusion in early years settings, known as LINC, has been launched with provision for 900 students annually for four years. The first intake of 900 students commenced the LINC programme in September 2016 and applications have been invited for the next intake of 900 students to commence in September 2017. In addition to this, an inclusion charter and updated diversity, equality and inclusion guidelines have been published and a national programme of training supports is being rolled out.
All the targeted elements of AIM, levels four to seven, are also fully operational. At level four, 50 early years inclusion specialists have been appointed and the special mentoring support service has been rolled out. I recently approved an additional 18 posts for this service.
At level five, a national scheme for the provision of specialised equipment, appliances and minor alterations has been developed and rolled out. At level six, 50 additional HSE therapists have been appointed to support the delivery of the necessary therapy services, and at level seven, a national scheme for the provision of additional capitation to support additional assistance in the ECCE setting has also been developed and rolled out. The funding allocation for AIM in 2017 is €32.42 million.
I thank the Minister for her answer. I will pass on to her some of the concerns that were raised by the workers. Training, for example, was done on a lottery system. Access to training was not necessarily available to services that could have really benefited from the training and some did not get it. Some services could have waited another year or so for the training and they received it. It is good to see that the figure of 900 places is an annual figure but is there some way the training allocations could be a little bit fairer even if it was on first come first served basis rather than a lottery system? While the aim is to have all services receive the training, at the moment it is rolled out a bit unfairly.
There was also concern from practitioners who previously worked in services that focused on children with additional needs that the mainstreaming into all services of children who have additional needs provides the potential for some children to fall through the system if the inclusion model does not suit them. It is obviously a welcome measure and I understand the theory behind it, but these are the concerns. I have run over time so I will leave it at that for now.
I thank Deputy Funchion. I will bring these concerns back to my officials, particularly on the application for and acceptance onto the LINC programme. The Deputy wonders if the lottery system is the fairest system there could be. It is my understanding that this was well thought out and identified. That is a form and an approach to fairness as distinct from what the Deputy has suggested, such as the first come first served approach. I am not so sure that this approach would necessarily be fair. I have spoken to providers also and I am aware that there are different instances or circumstances where, within a particular area, they were willing to share a LINC person if that person was able to be accepted, other than ahead of other settings also.
Some of those issues are being looked at by my officials but I will ask them to look at them again. It is important that we be confident that the approach in choosing is as fair as possible. I think a lottery system is suitable, at least for now. As I have indicated, this will go on for a number of years; hopefully that gives everyone an opportunity.
I thank the Minister and would welcome if she would look at that approach. I understand it is difficult to pick an approach that works but a lot of people felt they were left out.
Finally, I have a concern about those under three years of age. While I know AIM pertains specifically to the ECCE, scheme, when it comes to providing supports for the under threes with additional needs, early intervention is critical in identifying issues. Are there any schemes or proposals to roll this out further to the under threes, maybe in conjunction with the affordable child care scheme in the future?
What a great idea. I will come back to the Deputy. I and my officials are certainly aware that it is a case of the earlier the better, particularly in respect of special needs or forms of disability. There have been many discussions in that regard and I would further discussion, with the Deputy or even in the context of the committee. The AIM model and programmes started in September 2016, so 2017 is the first full year of the roll-out and we are looking at reviewing it. As the roll-out moves on, I think it is something that should be considered.
27. Deputy Fiona O'Loughlin asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs her views on the success of the school completion programme; her plans to expand it; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14939/17]
I am conscious the Minister has spoken on this matter in response to my earlier question. More often than not, I do not have one question in the lotto. Today, I am having a lucky streak and I hope it continues. From what the Minister has said previously, it is clear that she thinks the school completion programme is a success. She mentioned plans to expand it in 2018. She might let us know a little more about those plans in her reply.
The school completion programme is a core element of the educational welfare service provided by Tusla. I believe it is a crucial service for parents, children and schools. The service is highly regarded as a key response in securing improved educational outcomes for children and young people at risk of early school leaving. In this regard, the programme enables local communities to develop tailored strategies to maximise participation levels of those at risk of early school leaving. Tusla's education welfare service has a responsibility to ensure that every child attends school regularly or otherwise receives a certain minimum education. It supports regular school attendance, tackles problems of absenteeism and provides a general educational welfare service. The service receives referrals from school authorities, parents and others relating to concerns for the educational welfare of individual children.
As the Deputy knows, a review of the operation of the school completion programme by the Economic and Social Research Institute, ESRI, states that there has been an improvement in attendance levels and in the proportion of young people staying in school until leaving certificate. It also concludes that the school completion programme, along with DEIS, has played an important role. Tusla has taken a number of actions to strengthen the operation of the programme, such as improving annual retention plans and having discussions with relevant stakeholders on the review findings and on how to strengthen the core functions of the programme.
Additional information not given on the floor of the House
I have met the director of educational welfare services in Tusla to discuss the ongoing reform of the school completion programme.
The Department of Education and Skills recently published the Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools, DEIS, plan for 2017. I believe the goals outlined in the plan will improve educational opportunity for those who come to education at a disadvantage and will strengthen the capacity of our education and training system to support children and young people in communities with high concentrations of disadvantage. The educational welfare service of Tusla, officials from my Department and the Department of Education and Skills will be meeting in the coming weeks to discuss the inclusion in the school completion programme of schools that have been included in the DEIS programme for the first time in 2017. The group will also examine schools that are currently in the school completion programme but do not currently have DEIS status. Following these meetings, proposals will be developed and given to me for consideration. In the interim, my officials will continue to work with Tusla to implement the recommendations of the ESRI report on the school completion programme.
I thank the Minister. She has outlined clearly, comprehensively and positively the very many beneficial outcomes of the school completion programme. There is absolutely no doubt that, no matter what political party we are in or what side of the House we are on, reducing school failure and improving educational outcomes for disadvantaged students has to be a key priority for every one of us. It is a bit of an anomaly that this scheme lies within the Minister's Department as it is very closely related to education issues. We need to do better to ensure that all sections of our communities can more fully reap the benefits of our education plans. I certainly think that the school completion plan should be available to non-DEIS schools as well as DEIS schools.
On the funding cuts which I mentioned earlier, while I accept they were before the Minister's time, there has been a substantial cut in funding. In 2010, funding was €30 million and it was down to €24.7 million last year. There has been €5 million cut. Will the Minister fight to get that funding back in to the school completion programme?
I thank the Deputy. Yes I will; it is something to which I am deeply committed. As an educator myself, I have even taught students about the issue, as well as working with many teachers and schools. I take the point that it is, perhaps, an anomaly that the programme is located within the Department of Children and Youth Affairs. My understanding is that the thinking at the time was that the people working on school completion programme might be able to work closely with those in Tusla, which offers family supports. School completion projects obviously also need to involve family supports because, as we know, families must be supported as part of the process of keeping children in school.
There are a number of things they are doing right now to reform the programme and to improve their annual school retention figures. They have a new governance structure that will be put in place at a national level to support the local projects and new school attendance guidelines have been issued to advise schools on the practical supports that are needed. That is the kind of reform programme that is going on now, which could easily lead in to a good rationale for increased investment.
I thank the Minister. While there has not been a cut in funding this year, thankfully, I do understand that some of the interventions such as the summer programmes are not now available for children because of a shortage in the budget. These are children who absolutely need this and I do think that it is regrettable. I applaud the Minister's support for the school completion programme and welcome her vision of what can be done. I acknowledge that it is a very targeted intervention aimed at those school communities that are identified. At this point, it involves 124 projects and related initiatives in 470 primary and 224 post-primary schools, and about 36,000 children are supported. These are identified by local management committees as being at risk of educational disadvantage. This brings me back to my earlier question about the community school in County Kildare that is now at risk. Of its 880 students, some 250 need these extra supports. I do appreciate that the Minister will raise this with the Minister for Education and Skills and with the officials.
I will. I have actually been raising some of these issues with Tusla and, of course, they have been raised to me too in the context of schools within my constituency of Dublin South-West. That is why I requested a meeting with the director of educational welfare services, during which we discussed a number of these issues. In the context of the reform programme that I am identifying, the independent ESRI review of the programme takes into account the ways in which different schools have had the flexibility to choose particular projects. While I do understand that some monies may not be there for some programmes that were there in the past, it is still the same amount of money. I would be delighted to hear more about Deputies' concerns on precisely these kinds of things as we consider how to move forward.
28. Deputy Jan O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if the IT portal that will be used to receive applications for the affordable child care scheme due to be introduced in September 2017 will be ready to both receive applications and calculate the level of support to be given for each child; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15137/17]
65. Deputy Anne Rabbitte asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the status of the information technology system for administering the single affordable child care scheme; if it will be available for September 2017; and if not, the alternative arrangements that she will put in place. [15221/17]
I probably do not need to introduce the question as it is similar to the priority question asked by Deputy Rabbitte in respect of the information technology, IT, portal for the new scheme to be introduced in September. As we know that it will not be fully ready, perhaps we can concentrate on what can be done for providers and parents in terms of setting up a system that will be clear and available in time so that there will not be confusion when the time comes.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 28 and 65 together.
The policy paper for the introduction of the affordable child care scheme was approved by Government in October 2016. Since then, officials of the Department of Children and Youth Affairs and Pobal have been working intensively to plan for the implementation of this scheme.
This is an extremely complex and ambitious project because of what is involved, namely, legislation, new business processes, data protection and building a new IT system. We will need to integrate data from the Department of Social Protection and the Office of the Revenue Commissioners so that the system can calculate every family’s net income and affordable child care scheme subsidy. We will need to test the IT system rigorously to make sure it works, even in complicated family circumstances.
As a result of this, the fully automated system that delivers everything will not be in place initially. However, we are working intensively to ensure that a satisfactory interim measure is in place and that the fully automated system for the affordable child care scheme is introduced at the earliest possible time.
I recognise that parents and providers urgently need detailed information about the way in which the scheme will be delivered. I can assure the Deputy that I and my officials are fully committed to delivering on the objectives of the scheme, and we are determined to minimise any administrative burden or inconvenience. In the next few weeks I will provide a detailed update on delivery plans. Full information on implementation plans will then be made available to parents and child care providers, and change management supports will be provided to all participating child care services.
I emphasise that I want us to get the IT systems right from the very beginning. I would prefer to hold back on a fully automated system initially if it means that we avoid the costly and frustrating problems that other major new services have experienced elsewhere in recent times.
I acknowledge the complexity and the difficulty of getting it done within the timeframe. That is why I would like to concentrate on getting as much information as possible out to providers and parents as soon as possible. I welcome the fact that the Minister has said she will update us and others whenever there is information, and I ask her to do so.
One of my concerns, and I have heard this from some providers, is that they may not participate in the scheme if they feel it is going to cause them a huge amount of extra administrative work. I do not think any of us would like to see that happen. We want to ensure they are given whatever support they need to roll out the scheme, given some are saying it is easier for them to just put up their prices rather than participate in the scheme. That would obviously have a serious effect on parents and children, which is why we need to ensure information is available as quickly as possible and that it is as clear as possible in terms of how it will be implemented.
I share the concerns Deputy Jan O'Sullivan has identified. First, we are conscious of the need to have the lowest administrative burden possible and to have a system that is not too complex and which they can get used to before moving on to the next thing. That is why, in the Department, we have had plans A, B, C and D and we have gone through a number of options to try to identify what is best, so long as this is going to be an interim measure. We are almost there, as the Deputy will be aware in light of her previous roles. There are still some finishing touches to be made in regard to what we think will work, and a couple of colleagues in other Departments are asking further questions to ensure we have thought of everything. That is almost concluded.
Second, as we were working through these options, I said that what we need to do is to absolutely make sure the option we choose is the one we can communicate best. We got somebody in specifically to work up a communications and information plan in the last week in regard to finalising the set of measures in a way that we hope will impose the least burden.
Although the Minister has answered this question already, I ask her for further clarification regarding the interim reports on the commission of investigation on the mother and baby homes, taking into account that I am from east Galway and Tuam is in my constituency. Many people down there are waiting for the interim report.
Excuse me. Did I skip Deputy Ó Laoghaire?
We are actually dealing with the next question.
We are dealing with Questions Nos. 28 and 65.
I am sorry. I did not realise we had moved on to a different topic.
Does Deputy O'Sullivan have any further questions?
No, I think we have got as much clarity as possible.
We move on to what will be the final question. Perhaps we can go straight to the answer and Deputy Ó Laoghaire will have an opportunity to ask one supplementary question.
That is fine.
29. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she has carried out or is carrying out a review of aftercare services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15214/17]
I am committed to implementing the Child Care (Amendment) Act 2015, which entitles eligible young people to a formal aftercare plan, prepared by Tusla in collaboration with the young person leaving care. My Department is working closely with Tusla to ensure that the provisions of the Act can be fully implemented as quickly as possible in the coming months.
Consultation is under way with all key stakeholders in order to finalise the revision of Tusla’s aftercare policy. The consultation process has included foster carers, young people, young adults, aftercare staff, social work staff, NGOs, private foster care and residential care providers and other Departments. All have been invited to events and offered the opportunity to make written submissions. Following these consultations, feedback will be considered and amendments made to the draft document, and the final draft of the aftercare documents will be presented to the national policy oversight committee of Tusla for approval. The Child Care (Amendment) Act 2015 will be commenced as soon as practicable after approval of the revised policy.
In preparation for the commencement of the new legislation, Tusla has introduced a number of new practices. It has developed dedicated aftercare teams, standardised the financial supports that it offers to those leaving care and is continuing to roll out inter-agency steering committees to strongly promote good co-ordination of these services at local level. Tusla has also further developed the information it provides regarding aftercare services. It is identifying gaps in aftercare service nationally and has undertaken a major recruitment campaign of social care workers to fill aftercare post vacancies.
Go raibh maith agat. The Minister has answered some of the points. Obviously, sections 2 to 9, which are the flesh of the Child Care (Amendment) Act, are still to be brought into force. I accept that the Minister referred to the legislation being commenced. In some ways, we had reservations in respect of the Act, not because it was bad legislation but as a result of the fact that it contained a number of deficiencies. An aftercare plan is one thing but the provision of aftercare - and all the resources necessary to ensure the quality of such care and to see to it that the plan is implemented - is quite another.
To flag up one point, I will be publishing a Bill on this, the child care (amendment) Bill 2017, which I hope we will be able to discuss at some point. Can the Minister give even a ballpark estimate regarding the timescale for the commencement of those sections of the Child Care (Amendment) Act and for the publication or conclusion of the consultation piece she discussed?
To give a more specific timeline, it is anticipated that the relevant provisions of the Act will be commenced in the third quarter of this year between June and September 2017. I acknowledge the Deputy's statement about his own Bill. I look forward to considering it. As part of this process, what I have been identifying is the extensive consultation process that Tusla has been engaged in. I have indicated that we hope that will be completed in time for the commencement of those sections of the Act. I also acknowledge what the Deputy said about the implementation of the entitlement to an aftercare plan. The commencement of that entitlement does not necessarily mean that we have all that we need in terms of aftercare provisions, but entitlement helps us to move in that direction.
