Written Answers Nos. 163-166
163. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs when a draft of the national early years strategy will be ready; if she plans to carry out a public consultation on the strategy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53261/13]
View answer164. Deputy Ciara Conway asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the key recommendations in the Right from the Start early years strategy; the responsibilities of the new child and family agency vis-à-vis its implementation; if she will provide a roadmap for its implementation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53290/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 163 and 164 together.
The Children and Young People's Policy Framework is currently being developed by my Department. The Framework will set out the overall principles, vision and outcomes for children and young people and will guide actions across Government over the period 2014 to 2018. I expect to circulate the Framework to other Ministers in December. Following approval by Government the Framework will be published early in the New Year for discussion at a Government meeting in January. The Early Years Strategy is one of a number of more detailed strategies under the Children and Young People's Policy Framework, and it also currently being developed by my Department.
Following my announcement that I would lead the preparation of Ireland's first Early Years Strategy, I appointed an Expert Advisory Group, chaired by Dr. Eilis Hennessy of UCD to advise my Department and myself on recommendations for inclusion in the Strategy. The work of this group has now concluded and I have received their comprehensive report, entitled 'Right from the Start'. The report sets out a wide range of recommendations for consideration, covering issues that affect Ireland's youngest children and their families, including early childhood health, support for parents and ensuring quality in early years provision.
The recommendations in the report are being considered within my Department. Last week I held a consultation event at which key stakeholders from a wide range of relevant areas examined the recommendations and considered whether other issues needed to be considered for inclusion in the Early Years Strategy. The report and these deliberations will contribute substantially to the final draft of the new Strategy.
As soon as the Children and Young People's Policy Framework is approved by Government I intend to finalise the Early Years Strategy and submit it to Government for publication early in 2014. The final Strategy, which will encompass a wide of range of issues relating to the early years of children's lives, will identify areas of responsibility including those that come under the remit of the new Child and Family Agency. It is expected also that the Strategy will set time frames within which recommendations are to be implemented.
165. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the changes to the Child Care Act 1991, specifically regarding child care preschool regulations and the explanatory notes that accompany the regulations which are due to come into effect in January 2014; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53307/13]
View answerPre-school services are governed by Part VII of the Child Care Act 1991 and by the Child Care (Pre-School Services) (No 2) Regulations 2006. These Regulations are supported by explanatory notes which offer guidance and assistance in interpretation of the regulations.
Legislative amendments to Part VII of the Child Care Act 1991 were passed by the Oireachtas last week. These amendments will underpin a number of key reforms which I am introducing as part of the Pre-School Quality Agenda with the objective of improving the quality of childcare services. The amended legislation strengthens the current inspection regime, provides a statutory basis for registration of pre-school services and also provides for the setting of minimum qualification standards for staff working directly with children in pre-school services.
To provide for the implementation of the changes to the Act it will be necessary to amend or make additions to the current Regulations in a number of areas, and these will be considered following signing into law of the new amendments. New National Quality Standards, which will replace the explanatory notes to the regulations and which will set out the outcomes and supporting criteria against which the quality of childcare services will be measured, will replace the existing guidelines in 2014. However, the first priority is to embed registration, which is a new approach for the sector. Inspection against the new Standards will commence as early as practicable in 2014, following the development of new inspection tools and guidelines for services as well as a communications exercise with services, which will need to understand the impact of the changes to how they will be inspected.
166. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will provide an updated report on the Health Information and Quality Authority investigation into Dublin North West social services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53333/13]
View answerFoster care services in the Dublin North West Area have been inspected by HIQA on three occasions since September 2009, the most recent of which took place in October 2012. The purpose of foster care inspections is to review compliance with regulations and standards for all children. Despite progress from earlier inspections, inspectors found that some deficits identified previously had not been rectified. An Action Plan to address these issues was developed by HIQA.
In February 2013, I established a National Monitoring and Oversight Group within the HSE, to include input from a National Expert on Foster Care, to oversee implementation of the Action Plan and I received quarterly updates on the progress. I received the final report from the group on 1 November 2013.
I have been advised by the HSE that they have met with HIQA on several occasions to review progress. The HSE are due to have a further meeting with HIQA at the end of January 2014 and I have requested a further update on progress from the HSE and HIQA.
