Wednesday, 13 Feb 2013

Written Answers Nos. 25-32

Bullying of Children

Questions (25, 192)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

25. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will indicate from the perspective of her Department, the extent, if any, to which she can engage with other Departments, schools and youth organisations with a view to combating bullying by electronic or other means; if it might be possible to focus particularly on this issue in an effort to provide an early warning and-or support service to deal with the issue; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7316/13]

Bernard Durkan

Question:

192. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the extent to which she and her Department have engaged with various voluntary and-or statutory organisations with a view to identifying the extent and impact of bullying amongst young people; whether she intends to take any particular or specific initiatives in this regard; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7575/13]

Written answers

Minister for Children and Youth Affairs

I propose to take Questions Nos. 25 and 192 together.

As Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, I am concerned about the impact bullying can have on our children and young people, on their confidence, learning outcomes, self-esteem and mental health.

My Department’s report on the State of the Nation’s Children: Ireland 2012 found that on average, 27.3% of children reported being bullied at school at least once in the past couple of months. A recent EU study to examine the safety of children on the Internet found that 4% of children between the ages of 9 and 16 in Ireland experienced online bullying compared with an EU average of 6%. I am committed to working with colleagues in Government to ensure that integrated policy and service responses to combat bullying and reverse these trends are high on our agenda.

On January 28th of this year, I along with my colleague Minister Quinn launched the Action Plan on Bullying, a report produced by a working group which examined the issue of bullying in schools. The working group on which my Department participated was chaired by the Department of Education and Skills. The publication of this plan is an important step in the Government’s absolute commitment to working with a broad base of interests to protect children and ensure a safer childhood.

The working group reviewed evidence based research on bullying, consulted with leading academics in the field of bullying and reviewed the current best practices in bullying prevention in other jurisdictions. The Working Group also consulted with a range of public bodies, community and voluntary bodies and other stakeholders involved in combating bullying. A full list of the 68 bodies and individuals that provided input is available in the Appendix to the Action Plan on Bullying available on the Department of Education and Skills website.

The Action Plan recommends a range of evidence based actions together with a timetable for their implementation to help us deal more effectively with bullying. My Department will continue to work closely with the Department of Education and Skills, and the Implementation Group being established by that Department, to oversee the implementation of the plan.

My Department will ensure that actions recommended by the Anti-Bullying Working Group are prioritised in the Children and Young People’s Policy Framework to be published later this year. This will be a Governmental strategy for children and young people and I expect that it will further assist in promoting a common approach to the challenge of combating bullying.

The development of the Policy Framework involves consultation between by Department and key stakeholders including other Government Departments, youth sector interests and children and young people themselves, all of which will inform the priorities of the Framework, which is expected by the middle of this year.

My Department will work with the Department of Education and Skills in the development of an anti-bullying website, as recommended in the plan, to provide a single point of access to practical advice for parents, children and teachers to support them in tackling and reporting bullying behaviours, including cyberbullying.

The Plan provides advice for parents and young people with regard to the problem of cyberbullying. In particular, it acknowledges that it is essential that parents and young people themselves understand how to use modern technologies safely; they must understand the risks associated with the cyber world and protect themselves outside of school hours in their homes and communities. The Action Plan provides advice for parents on protecting their children from cyberbullying. I would encourage parents and young people to avail of the advice on www.webwise.ie, an online collection of internet safety resources.

I would further direct the Deputy to the Office for Internet Safety, an Executive office of the Department of Justice and Equality. The office has responsibility for the development and promotion of strategic actions to promote the highest levels of internet safety.

My Department is committed to the fight against bullying and we will work with other Departments, childcare services, education welfare services and the youth sector to raise awareness about bullying, its impact on children and young people and the measures to be taken to tackle prejudice, combat bullying and promote a safer environment for our young people.

Children in Care

Questions (26)

Seán Crowe

Question:

26. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the capacity and numbers in residence in each of the three special care units and the two high support units; the numbers currently awaiting placement in each of these; her plans for additional capacity at any of the current five locations or any other or new location; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7313/13]

Written answers

Minister for Children and Youth Affairs

Special Care involves the detention of a child for his or her own welfare and protection in a Special Care Unit with on site educational and therapeutic supports. A Special Care Unit provides secure residential service to children and young people who are in need of specialised targeted intervention. Children are detained if their behaviour is deemed to pose a risk to themselves. The detention, by order of the High Court, of a child in a Special Care Unit is considered as a last resort, for as short a time as possible, and when other forms of residential or community care are considered to be unsuitable.

There are three designated special care units in the country where children are detained on order of the High Court. There is a unit in Ballydowd in Dublin, which has a capacity of ten beds and is fully occupied, another in Gleann Álainn in Cork, with a capacity of four beds and which currently has three children placed there, and Coovagh House in Limerick, which a capacity of three beds and is fully occupied.

Additionally, there are two National High Support Units in Ireland, Rath Na nÓg in Castleblaney and Crannóg Nua in Portrane, both of which have capacity for six young people. There are currently four young people placed in each of the two units.

There are currently no young people approved and awaiting a special care placement. There are seven young people under consideration by the National Special Care Admission and Discharge Committee. This Committee is due to meet today. There are currently two young people on transition into High Support. There are eight young people under consideration for High Support, including two new referrals which will be discussed by the National High Support Admission and Discharge Committee, which is due to meet today.

A full review of the capacity of the HSE Alternative Care Services is currently being undertaken by an Independent Consultant, under the lead of the Office of the National Director for Children Family Social Services. The initial focus of this review was to consider the capacity requirements for the National High Support and Special Care Service. I am advised by the HSE that a Capital Building Project with the HSE Architectural Services commenced work in late 2011. Stage 2 of the design programme led to planning applications being lodged at the end of 2012.

Proposed Legislation

Questions (27)

Brendan Smith

Question:

27. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs when she will bring forward the adoption tracing and information legislation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7340/13]

Written answers

Minister for Children and Youth Affairs

The drafting of the Heads of Bill in relation to the Adoption (Information and Tracing) Bill is at an advanced stage in my Department. While consideration of the policy issues in relation to all aspects of the proposed Bill is ongoing, it is intended that the proposed legislation will provide for a structured and regulated way of both safeguarding adoption records and providing access to adoption information.

Child Care Reports

Questions (28)

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin

Question:

28. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the date on which she will publish the final report on the Ryan report implementation plan in 2013; if she will list the outstanding recommendations yet to be implemented; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7303/13]

Written answers

Minister for Children and Youth Affairs

I wish to inform the Deputy that it is my intention to publish the final report of the Ryan Implementation Plan during 2013.

As the Deputy will be aware, the Ryan Report Implementation Plan - Third Progress Report was laid before both Houses of the Oireachtas on 12 November 2012. This Report contained full details of the implementation status of each of the 99 actions specified.

In relation to the Deputy's queries regarding outstanding recommendations, the latest information is that contained in the Third Progress Report mentioned above. This indicates that of the ninety-nine actions detailed in the Plan, 37 actions had a timeframe of ‘ongoing’. These are, by their nature, not once off actions and while they may be deemed complete for the purpose of the Report, they will necessarily continue to be implemented on an ongoing basis. The remaining 64 actions had a specific timescale. An indicative overview status of the actions in the Plan is as follows:

- Complete: 59

- Implementation ongoing: 13

- Not yet complete: 27

The 99 actions identified in the Ryan Implementation Plan are the responsibility of a number of Government Departments and Agencies. In order to effectively monitor implementation, I chair a High Level Monitoring Group with representation from relevant Departments, the HSE, HIQA, the Gardaí and the Children’s Rights Alliance.

The Implementation Plan for the Ryan Report specified a four year reporting period. The final phase of implementation, in 2013, will therefore focus on bringing each of the recommendations to full implementation.

UN Conventions

Questions (29)

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin

Question:

29. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs her plans to ratify the third optional protocol to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child on a Communications Procedure, which would enable children and their families to make complaints to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7302/13]

Written answers

Minister for Children and Youth Affairs

The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) was adopted by the UN General Assembly on 20 November 1989 and entered into force on 2 September 1990. The UNCRC is the most widely ratified human rights treaty, enjoying almost universal ratification by nearly all Member States of the United Nations. Ireland ratified the UNCRC in 1992.

The third Optional Protocol to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child was opened for signature by member states in February 2012. I have previously stated that it was my intention to sign the protocol on behalf of Ireland as soon as possible. My Department is currently finalising the State's combined 3rd and 4th Reports to the UN Committee on the Reports of the Child. When the report is finalised and submitted to the UN Committee, I intend to sign the third Optional Protocol in due course on behalf of Ireland. Ratification would generally take place some time after that, once the State is satisfied that the necessary legislative and administrative procedures are in place to enable full compliance. This matter will be assessed by the legal unit of my Department in due course.

Ministerial Responsibilities

Questions (30)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

30. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the extent to which she and her Department intends to encompass within her Departmental responsibilities, full responsibility for the broadest possible extent of developmental and support services for children of all ages with particular reference to their health and/or welfare, education and general well-being; if children with special needs and/or learning difficulties are likely to fall within this remit; her views regarding the extent of the finances available to her Department to enable the provision of a comprehensive range of support services to meet any requirements in the short and medium term; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7315/13]

Written answers

Minister for Children and Youth Affairs

My Department was set up to drive the delivery of key commitments in relation to children and young people. The Department was established in June 2011 with a mandate to put in place a unified framework of policy, legislation and provision across Government in respect of children and young people.

The responsibilities of my Department encompass a wide range of policy and service activity, both direct and indirect, for children and young people in Ireland. It has a complex mandate, comprised of a number of separate, but interrelated strands including:

- the direct provision of a range of universal and targeted services;

- ensuring high-quality arrangements are in place for focused interventions dealing with child welfare and protection, family support, adoption, school attendance and reducing youth crime;

- the harmonisation of policy and provision across Government and with a wide range of stakeholders to improve outcomes for children, young people and families.

As outlined in my Department's Statement of Strategy, in order to achieve its goals, my Department works in close partnership with other Government departments, statutory agencies and non-governmental organisations on a range of cross-cutting issues in relation to both policy and provision as they relate to children and young people. The scope of this collaboration includes, but is not limited to, the following:

- Department of Education and Skills (e.g. early childhood education, numeracy/literacy and skills development);

- Department of Justice and Equality (e.g. crime prevention, community sanctions, detention, diversion and equality);

- Department of Health (e.g. disability; health promotion, including nutrition and drugs policy);

- Health Service Executive (e.g. child welfare and protection, care and social services);

- Department of Social Protection (e.g. social inclusion, income support and the activation agenda);

- Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation (e.g. employment creation and youth entrepreneurship);

- Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (e.g. UN Committee on the Rights of the Child and Council of Europe measures);

- Department of Environment, Community and Local Government (e.g. initiatives involving sustainable development and communities).

While responsibility for support services for children with extra needs will remain with the Departments of Health and Education and Skills, as appropriate, my Department will continue to work closely with those Departments.

The 2013 estimate includes an allocation of €443m for my Department which represents an increase of €16m over the 2012 allocation and this clearly demonstrates the continuing commitment of this Government to the ongoing development of quality and effective services to support children and families.

Child Protection

Questions (31)

Jonathan O'Brien

Question:

31. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will provide an update on the establishment of a national out of hours social work service. [7307/13]

Written answers

Minister for Children and Youth Affairs

As part of the ongoing ‘change agenda’ in Child and Family services I am committed to developing the capacity of our child protection services to appropriately and effectively address the needs of children who present in emergency situations outside of normal working hours. What is important is that children in crisis, no matter where they are, have access to 24 hour social work assistance, and this is what the HSE's National Director for Children and Family Services and I are working towards.

Two out-of-hours pilot projects, one in Donegal and the other in Cork, were commenced by the HSE in 2011. The Donegal project started mid-year and the Cork project started in the third quarter. Both projects were internally evaluated by the HSE, which then commissioned an independent external assessment, undertaken by Trinity College Dublin. The HSE has reviewed the recommendations of the Evaluation Report and is committed to further development and expansion of the service subject to resourcing and the terms of the Croke Park agreement. In this regard, a business case for a National Children and Families Services Emergency Out of Hours Social Work Service has been prepared and a copy submitted to my Department. I have been informed by the HSE that talks with the relevant staff representative association are also underway.

It should be noted that at present the Health Service Executive provides out-of-hours emergency services for children at risk in the greater Dublin area through the Crisis Intervention Service, and outside the greater Dublin area through the Emergency Place of Safety Service. The Crisis Intervention Service provides out-of-hours emergency social work assistance to young people aged under 18 years. The service operates across the greater Dublin area (Counties Dublin, Kildare and Wicklow). Referrals are made by service providers outside of normal working hours i.e. Gardai, hospital and ambulance service personnel. The Emergency Place of Safety Service, operates outside the greater Dublin area, whereby Gardai can access an emergency placement for children found to be at risk out-of-hours. This service involves the placement of a child in a family setting until the next working day, when the local social work service assumes responsibility for the case. As part of this service Gardai have access to advice and information from a non-HSE social work off-site resource which is provided on a contract basis.

Child Care Services Provision

Questions (32)

Dessie Ellis

Question:

32. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of places currently available on the after school scheme that was announced in budget 2013; the timeline for availability of the proposed 6,000 places; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7305/13]

Written answers

Minister for Children and Youth Affairs

As part of Budget 2013 I, together with my colleague, the Minister for Social Protection, was pleased to announce a new School Age Childcare initiative which will be targeted at low-income parents availing of employment opportunities.

The initiative is expected to receive full year funding of €14 million to provide over 6,000 after-school places for children attending primary school in order to support parents to take up employment. Lack of access to affordable, quality childcare is a significant barrier to many low income and disadvantaged families seeking to avail of work opportunities.

This initiative will provide an important support measure to enable parents to avail of job opportunities. This is in line with the Government's overall strategy to support parents of low income families to take up employment and demonstrates how Departments are working together to deliver the Government's agenda on promoting employment and supporting children's development.

The School Age Childcare Scheme will further augment my Department's programme of childcare supports for low income families. These include the Community Childcare Subvention (CCS) and the Childcare Education and Training Support (CETS) programmes, both of which provide subsidised childcare for low income parents, including qualifying parents who are on approved VEC and FÁS education and training courses. In 2013, my Department expects to spend over €70 million on the CCS and CETS programmes, supporting over 30,000 childcare places.

Officials in both my own Department and the Department of Social Protection are currently working to finalise the details of the scheme and its operational arrangements. As is the case with the CETS scheme, the new scheme is expected to be open to both community and commercial childcare providers across the State and it is anticipated that places will become available on an interim basis from early 2013 with the full roll-out of the programme commencing in September 2013. As soon as this work has been completed, further information will be made available.