Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 9 May 2013
201. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the extent to which she continues to liaise with health service provides, youth organisations and educationalists with particular reference to the identification of the causes of depression amongst young persons; the extent to which she continues to find it possible to address these issues or introduce new initiatives; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22080/13]
View answerThe prime responsibility for policy in relation to the treatment and support for young people with depression currently lies with the Department of Health.
The issue of depression in young people is a complex issue requiring inputs from a wide range of stake-holders including young people, parents, schools, the media , youth organisations and the Primary Care and Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services of the Health Service Executive (HSE).
My Department supports the National Youth Health Programme which is in partnership with the HSE and the National Youth Council of Ireland. The programme's aims are to provide a broad-based, flexible health promotion / education support and training service to youth organisations and to all those working with young people in out-of-school settings. Its work programme is informed by the knowledge and experience of the partners involved and most particularly by the Health Promotion Unit of the HSE and by the National Youth Council of Ireland which is the representative body for some 50 youth organisations in Ireland.
This work is achieved through the development of programmes and interventions specifically for and with youth organisations throughout the country and the provision of training and support for workers and volunteers who implement these programmes. It is covered under the Mindout Mental Health Promotion training and resource pack delivered to youth organisations. The training is based on the resource Mindout which was developed by Health Promotion HSE West and NUI Galway. MindOut is a twelve session mental health programme which takes a positive approach to the promotion of emotional and mental health among young people, looking at the ways they cope ranging from personal coping skills to informal networks of support to professional or voluntary support services. Mindout adopts a universal mental health promotion approach which has strong links with the “Support for all” element of the recent guidelines on Mental Health Promotion for Schools published by the HSE, the Department of Education and Skills and the National Office for Suicide Prevention.
The National Youth Health Programme also offers a Specialist Certificate in Youth Health Promotion. This programme is accredited by NUI Galway and adopts a whole organisational approach to health promotion. It focuses on a holistic model of an individual’s health and mental health and reinforces youth work as a valuable setting for mental health promotion.
Actions needed to address this issue obviously extend beyond the remit of my Department. My Department is currently leading the preparation of the new Children and Young People’s Policy Framework which will represent a whole-for government approach to addressing issues affecting children and young people including their well being.
