Written Answers Nos. 171-178
171. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she is satisfied regarding the adequacy of resources to ensure an immediate follow up to cases of children reported as being at risk of abuse from whatever source; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38979/13]
View answerSince establishment, I and my Department have the responsibility for the welfare of children and young adults. The resources associated with those services include those attaching to the Family Support Agency and the National Educational Welfare Board both of which are already under my remit. By agreement with my colleague the Minister for Health, the Child Protection and Welfare services of the HSE has been operating as a shadow agency in preparation for the transition to the new Child and Family Agency. The resources relating to these services and any other services proposed for transfer will also come under my remit. Processes regarding the transfer of the related staff are largely finalised and the final budgetary transfers will be subject to an agreed due diligence process. Control of this Voted expenditure will transfer to my Department on establishment day.
There is no doubt that this is a substantial programme of reform which does not end on establishment day. The setting up of the Child and Family Agency is at the heart of the Government's reform of child and family services. The Government decided that it was essential and appropriate that child welfare and protection services transfer from the Health Service Executive to a new, dedicated Agency. The establishment of a single agency incorporating key children's services will provide a focus for the major reforms already underway within Children and Family Services. In addition to this large scale structural reform programme, the HSE Child and Family Directorate is also implementing a significant programme of ongoing reforms. These reforms at operational level respond in detail to many identified gaps and changes needed to ensure a more consistent, effective and quality service delivery.
I also want to acknowledge the challenges facing our child welfare and protection services and the pressures facing social work teams around the country. The service is operating in a climate of increased demand particularly in the area of child neglect. Since 2006 the number of referrals of child protection and welfare reports has almost doubled from 21,000 in 2006 to 40,000 in 2012. The increase in 2012 was almost 10,000 above the 2011 level. Child Welfare and Protection services have also been faced with particular challenges over recent months arising from a high number of vacancies due to maternity leave and to a lesser degree sick leave. In response to these pressures a new panel of professionally qualified social workers was established in June 2013 to allow for the filling of vacancies in social work teams. A total of 112 vacant social worker posts have been approved for filling from this panel with the position being kept under constant review. The latest HSE employment census indicates that the number of whole-time equivalent (WTE) social workers employed in the HSE Children and Families service area was 1,397 at the end of June 2013.
Implementation of the provisions of the Haddington Road Agreement will also assist HSE Children and Families in responding to current demand through additional working hours, revision of overtime arrangements, flexible working arrangements, revised work practices and other initiatives.
172. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she is satisfied regarding the availability of adequate resources to provide the full scale of services required in respect of child and youth services, all categories; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38981/13]
View answerMy Department was set up to drive the delivery of key commitments in relation to children and young people and to put in place a unified framework of policy, legislation and provision across Government in respect of children and young people.
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.
Since establishment, I and my Department have the responsibility for the welfare of children and young adults. The resources associated with those services include those attaching to the Family Support Agency and the National Educational Welfare Board both of which are already under my remit. By agreement with my colleague the Minister for Health, the Child Protection and Welfare services of the HSE has been operating as a shadow agency over the period of 2012 in preparation for the transition to the new Agency. The resources relating to these services and any other services proposed for transfer will also come under my remit. Processes regarding the transfer of the related staff are largely finalised and the final budgetary transfers will be subject to an agreed due diligence process. Control of this Voted expenditure will transfer to my Department on establishment day.
There is no doubt that this is a substantial programme of reform which does not end on establishment day. The setting up of the Child and Family Agency is at the heart of the Government's reform of child and family services. The Government decided that it was essential and appropriate that child welfare and protection services transfer from the Health Service Executive to a new, dedicated Agency. The Department of Children and Youth Affairs and the Department of Health are working jointly on an impact analysis of proposed future arrangements for this service as they relate to children and family services covered by the Child and Family Agency and to services provided by the HSE. The establishment of a single agency incorporating key children's services will provide a focus for the major reforms already underway within Children and Family Services. In addition to this large scale structural reform programme, the HSE Child and Family Directorate is also implementing a significant programme of ongoing reforms. These reforms at operational level respond in detail to many identified gaps and changes needed to ensure a more consistent, effective and quality service delivery.
I also want to acknowledge the challenges facing our child welfare and protection services and the pressures facing social work teams around the country. The service is operating in a climate of increased demand particularly in the area of child neglect. Since 2006 the number of referrals of child protection and welfare reports has almost doubled from 21,000 in 2006 to 40,000 in 2012. The increase in 2012 was almost 10,000 above the 2011 level. Child Welfare and Protection services have also been faced with particular challenges over recent months arising from a high number of vacancies due to maternity leave and to a lesser degree sick leave. In response to these pressures a new panel of professionally qualified social workers was established in June 2013 to allow for the filling of vacancies in social work teams. A total of 112 vacant social worker posts have been approved for filling from this panel with the position being kept under constant review. The latest HSE employment census indicates that the number of whole-time equivalent (WTE) social workers employed in the HSE Children and Families service area was 1,397 at the end of June 2013.
The Department is currently examining its internal structures to ensure they are aligned and resourced to continue and enhance its oversight and performance management function as regards the new Agency. I will be continuing to work with my colleagues the Minister for Health and the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (in the context of the budgetary process) on the resources issue as we progress towards establishment of the new Agency.
173. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the extent to which a rapid alert system will be put in place to detect and combat bullying of children and young adults through electronic-social media; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38982/13]
View answerAs Minister for Children & Youth Affairs, I am committed to working with colleagues in Government to ensure that integrated policy responses to combat bullying are high on our collective agenda. Our Programme for Government commits that “we will encourage schools to develop anti-bullying policies and in particular, strategies to combat homophobic bullying to support students.”
The implementation of the Action Plan on Bullying, to which my Department contributed, is being led by the Department of Education and Skills. These actions require collaborative work with a broad base of interests to protect children from bullying and ensure a safer childhood. New anti-bullying procedures have now been published by my colleague Minister Quinn which place a requirement on all recognised schools to record, investigate and address incidences of bullying in a structured manner. The procedures specifically include incidences of cyberbullying, both in and out of the school context or the posting of hurtful messages, images or statements on social media sites, within the definition of bullying.
The new procedures highlight the need for parents and young people to understand how to use modern technologies safely; they must recognise the risks associated with the cyber world and know how to protect themselves in school, at home and in their communities. This includes raising awareness of available tools within social media platforms such as privacy settings, how to block other users and the use of the complaints mechanisms provided.
The www.webwise.ie site provides valuable information and advice for parents and teachers about the risks involved and how to protect children against cyber bullying. It is important to encourage anyone who is subjected to bullying to contact the Gardaí and Health Service Executive as appropriate to report the matter.
On the question of an alert system, the Deputy may be aware of the Safer Internet Ireland Project, which is coordinated by the Office for Internet Safety under the remit of the Department of Justice and Equality. This EU supported project provides awareness, hotline and helpline functions and activities in Ireland. The website Hotline.ie is supported and funded by the Internet Service Providers Association of Ireland to provide a means for individuals to easily report incidences of illegal activity on the internet.
The recent report by the Joint Committee on Transport and Communications entitled “Addressing the Growth of Social Media and Tackling Cyberbullying ” is very helpful to our collective efforts to address these issues. The Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources is leading the Government's consideration of this wide ranging report. This report includes a series of recommendations in response to the growing concerns over cyberbullying and its impact on young people. In light of the scale and the transnational nature of social media platforms and the web-based industry in general, the Oireachtas Committee recognised the requirement for collective EU-wide responses. The European Commission Strategy for a Better Internet for Children (2012) will play a key role in this regard.
My Department continues to 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 to advance measures to tackle prejudice, combat bullying and promote a safer environment for our young people.
174. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the extent to which she expects to remain in a position to favourably address requests for funding for youth support services throughout the country; if any particular deficiencies have been identified in this regards; her proposals to address any such issues; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38983/13]
View answerFunding of €53.498m, including €1.75 for a new capital funding programme, has been provided to my Department in 2013 for the provision of youth services and programmes to young people throughout the country through a number of schemes.
These schemes include the Youth Service Grant Scheme, the Special Projects for Youth Scheme, the Young People’s Facilities and Services Fund Rounds 1 and 2, Local Drug Task Force projects and certain other provisions including the Local Youth Club Grant Scheme and Youth Information Centres. This funding supports the delivery of a range of youth work programmes and services for all young people, including those from disadvantaged communities, by the voluntary youth sector. There are some 1,400 youth work staff in 477 projects and over 40,000 volunteers involved in the provision of services and activities for young people.
The savings required under the Comprehensive Review of Expenditure in respect of 2013 amounted to €5.393m which equated to almost a 10% reduction on 2012 funding available for the provision of youth services. In 2014 the savings required in the youth budget under the Comprehensive Review of Expenditure amount to €2.976m which entails a 5% cut across most schemes and programmes and a 10% cut on the Youth Service Grant Scheme under which the national youth organisations are funded. Funding of €1.035m under the Local Youth Club Grant Scheme has not been reduced for the past two years. Some 1,600 volunteer-led youth clubs and groups are funded under this scheme.
I have met, and will continue to meet, with many youth organisations and groups to try and see how we can work together to minimise the impact of the savings required under the Comprehensive Review of Expenditure and to see how we can work together to ensure the most effective and efficient use of the resources available in order to continue to support the provision of quality youth services to young people. Officials of my Department have also met with representatives of all the national organisations that are funded under the Youth Service Grant Scheme to share information and to hear from the organisations about the impact of the reductions in funding on the services that they provide.
In addition, in order to maximise the use of the available resources, my Department has afforded flexibility to the organisations/grant administering agencies to reconfigure the funding allocations made by the Department based on their knowledge of local needs in their areas of responsibility, subject to the approval of my Department. It is intended to extend this facility into 2014 in order to ensure the continued provision of quality youth services to young people in these challenging times.
175. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the extent to which the details of children reported as missing-mistreated or abused are referred to her Department; if information available to different Departments is collated and made available to her Department or a central body with a view to a co-ordinated response; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38984/13]
View answerStatutory responsibility for the delivery of child welfare and protection services rests with the HSE, which is the appropriate body to receive all reports of concerns relating to all forms of child abuse. My Department occasionally receives calls from individuals concerned about the safety and wellbeing of a child. In all such cases my officials provide whatever assistance is required to allow such an individual make a proper referral to the statutory authorities. Such assistance can often include my officials contacting the HSE directly on behalf of a correspondent.
In the case of missing children, these cases should always be notified to the Gardai in the first instance. In addition, the 116000 Missing Children Hotline is an EU - wide initiative designed to provide a single point of contact across the European Union for missing children and their families. In Ireland the service is operated by the ISPCC. Funding for the operation of the line in Ireland is being provided by my Department and the EU, through its Daphne funding stream. The funding received from both the EU Daphne fund and from DCYA includes the establishment costs, national promotion and advertisement of the service. The Missing Children Hotline has been operating on a limited hours pilot basis in Ireland since December 2012 and on a full-time 24/7 basis since end April, 2013. The service was officially launched on 5 June last.
My Department is also taking a lead role in Children First implementation issues. An Interdepartmental Group has been established to promote the importance of Children First compliance across Government and to ensure consistency of approach. The group also provides a forum for sectors to raise and discuss overarching policy issues around Children First and reporting. I would emphasise however that this is not a mechanism for reporting, or dealing with, individual cases.
176. Deputy Joanna Tuffy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will provide an update on applications for approval of adoptions from Russia (details supplied). [39036/13]
View answerThe HSE advises that as of 1 March 2013 the number of Declarations of Eligibility and Suitability (DES) issued under Section 63 of the Act which were still to be acted upon was 370. In March the HSE wrote to these Section 63 DES holders to invite them to apply for an assessment as part of the application for a DES which would be issued under Section 40 of the Act, and 161 of these applicants applied. The Adoption Authority advises that a further 35 registrations of adoptions have been made from 1 March to 10 September 2013, with a further 4 applications to register on hand. Accordingly, there is a balance of 170 holders of Section 63 DES. While a number of applicants may no longer be interested in continuing the intercountry adoption process for a variety of reasons, a portion of these 170 outstanding DES holders may be in the process of trying to finalise adoptions.
I have been advised that a very small number of applicants intending to adopt from Russia are currently at a late stage in the process of finalising adoptions from Russia.
177. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health the extent to which resources are available to assist children or teenagers deemed to be at risk from self-harm; if information is available on the number of such reports made to his Department in each of the past two years; the nature of the follow up or support; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38980/13]
View answerAs this is a service matter, this question has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.
178. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Health if he will expedite a medical card application in respect of persons (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38844/13]
View answerThe Health Service Executive has been asked to examine this matter and to reply to the Deputy as soon as possible. The Health Service Executive operates the General Medical Services scheme, which includes medical cards and GP visit cards, under the Health Act 1970, as amended. It has established a dedicated contact service for members of the Oireachtas specifically for queries relating to medical cards and GP visit cards, which the Deputy may wish to use for an earlier response. Contact information has issued to Oireachtas members.
