Tuesday, 17 Dec 2013

Written Answers Nos. 520-536

Youth Services Funding

Questions (520)

Jerry Buttimer

Question:

520. Deputy Jerry Buttimer asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the rationale for the transfer of grant administering status to the City of Dublin Youth Service Board in respect of funding provided by her Department to vocational education committees; the procedures that were followed in deciding to allocate such a role to CDYSB; if a tendering process was used for allocating this role; the other bodies that were considered for this role; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54161/13]

Written answers

Minister for Children and Youth Affairs

The funding for youth projects under the Special Projects for Youth Scheme, the Young Peoples Facilities and Services Fund, Rounds 1 and 2 and Local Drugs Task Force Projects is administered by my Department through funding administration bodies. In the main, these are the Education and Training Boards (ETBs) but they also include other bodies such as the HSE, some local authorities and, up to recently, some of the larger national youth organisations.

The City of Dublin Youth Service Board (CDYSB), a statutory board established in 1942, under the City of Dublin ETB, is one such body which distributes allocations to youth projects. The CDYSB, on behalf of CDETB, has for several years, undertaken the administration of approximately 70 youth projects in the Dublin City area and has developed a strong track record in managing these payments.

In January 2013, in an effort to streamline the tasks associated with the financial management of funding for projects to achieve greater efficiency in the administration of funding, the administration tasks, formerly carried out by six national organisations were transferred by my Department to CDYSB. The six organisations are Youth Work Ireland, Crosscare, Foróige, Involve, YMCA and ECO-UNESCO.

The financial management tasks involved in the transfer are those which had, up to that date, been carried out by the national youth organisations themselves and by the Department. The ETBs (VECs at the time), had not had a funding administration role in relation to the organisations concerned. The role of the ETBs in supporting the provision of youth services in their respective administrative areas is unaffected by the streamlining initiative.

The process involved my Department consulting with CDYSB to discuss their capacity to take on the additional work, the financial and other controls that would be put in place, how the responsibilities would be taken on a “no additional cost” basis within existing resources and how the transfer of the administrative tasks would be effected. In the deliberative process, my Department received advice that, as there was no payment involved for the provision of the service, the initiative was not subject to procurement rules. Consultations and meetings were also held with the six organisations involved.

My Department continues to examine the scope for improving administrative arrangements for the financial management of the funding for youth services to achieve greater efficiency and standardisation. My Department is in ongoing discussion with ETB Ireland, the national representative association for the ETBs, on this shared objective, in the interest of the front line youth projects and services throughout the country.

In recent years, the numbers of bodies holding funding administration status from my Department has reduced from approximately 40 to some 30 at the start of 2013. It is anticipated that the number of administration bodies will continue to reduce as the integration of the former VECs into Education Training Boards is completed.

Children in Care

Questions (521)

Clare Daly

Question:

521. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs further to Parliamentary Question No. 145 of 4 December 2013, if she will clarify the nationalities of children in care on a national basis for the past ten years. [54179/13]

Written answers

Minister for Children and Youth Affairs

Further to my response in the previous Parliamentary Question response the HSE has advised that this data is currently not collated. The introduction of the National Child Care Information System (NCCIS) will record the nationality of children when introduced.

Children in Care

Questions (522)

Maureen O'Sullivan

Question:

522. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs further to Parliamentary Question No. 510 of 8 October 2013, that as service level agreements are signed with independent third party providers, the reason the information sought is not available; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54184/13]

Written answers

Minister for Children and Youth Affairs

When a child cannot live with his or her parents either on a short or long-term basis, the HSE will, in the first instance, seek a suitable relative or person known to the child to provide relative care. When there is no relative or person known to the child to provide relative care, the HSE where possible, will place a child in foster care. For young people who are unable to live at home or in an alternative family environment residential care may be considered suitable.

There are approximately 140 Children's Residential Centres in operation. The centres typically have between 3 and 6 children. The children are usually in their teens. Children living in the centres attend at local schools and take part in local sporting and community activities. Staff work a shift system and young people are allocated a key-worker.

Third party service level agreements procured by the HSE (and from 1 January, 2014 the new Child and Family Agency) are required to adhere to procedures and guidelines. A voluntary service provider must first establish registration status and is then subject to ongoing inspection and monitoring. The focus of these inspections is on the level of service being provided to ensure safe, effective delivery of that service and to meet the needs of each individual at any given time. Consequently, staffing levels can fluctuate throughout the term of a service level agreement according to the needs of the child.

A private service provider is also subject to the monitoring and inspections set out above. Aspects of private providers agreements differ to voluntary provider agreements as voluntary providers are typically procured for full centres and private providers are procured for individual placements.

Child and Family Agency Establishment

Questions (523)

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

Question:

523. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs when she expects the Child and Family Agency Bill 2013 to be completed; how soon thereafter will the agency be set up; the level of funding with which she expects to start the agency; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54193/13]

Written answers

Minister for Children and Youth Affairs

The legislation to establish the new Child and Family Agency (CFA) has recently completed its passage through the Oireachtas. The Child and Family Agency Bill has been signed by the President and it is now the Child and Family Agency Act 2013 (No. 40 of 2013). The necessary Commencement and Establishment Orders are in preparation to allow for establishment of the Agency on 1 January 2014 as planned.

The establishment of the Child and Family Agency is a key priority for the Government. From its establishment the Agency will have service responsibility for:

- Child welfare and protection services currently operated by the HSE including family support and alternative care services;

- Child and family-related services for which the HSE currently has responsibility including pre-school inspections and domestic, sexual and gender-based violence services;

- Services relating to the psychological welfare of children and their families currently provided by the HSE;

- The Family Support Agency and the National Educational Welfare Board which currently operate as separate bodies under the Department of Children and Youth Affairs will be merged into the new Agency.

The gross budget allocation for the Agency for 2014 will exceed €600 million. The precise allocation for the Agency will be declared this week in the Revised Estimates Volume.

Child Abuse Prevention

Questions (524, 525, 527)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

524. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the extent to which her Department continues to be made aware of incidents of various forms of child abuse on a weekly or monthly basis in the course of the past 12 months to date; the extent to which it has been found possible to make a positive intervention at the earliest possible stage; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54362/13]

Bernard Durkan

Question:

525. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the various categories of child or youth abuse brought to the attention of her Department in the past two years to date; the extent to which it has been found possible to deal with the issues; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54364/13]

Bernard Durkan

Question:

527. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the extent to which child mental, physical or sex abuse or child prostitution remains an issue, with particular reference to the number of any such instances reported to her Department since her appointment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54366/13]

Written answers

Minister for Children and Youth Affairs

I propose to take Questions Nos. 524, 525 and 527 together.

Statutory 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 well-being of a child. In all such cases my officials provide whatever assistance is required to allow such an individual to make a proper referral to the statutory authorities. Such assistance can often include my officials contacting the HSE directly on behalf of the individual. It is not possible to quantify the volume of such calls.

The HSE publishes a range of reports on performance indicators on a monthly, quarterly and annual basis. Among these indicators is information relating to referral and assessment processes. The HSE also provides an annual Review of Adequacy Report under Section 8 of the Child Care Act 1991. The Annual Service planning process also provides an opportunity to set out service priorities in the context of available resources. In addition, information is provided to me by the HSE on specific issues as required or to inform me of policy or legislative issues arising in the services.

Child abuse referrals are broken down into four categories: sexual abuse, physical abuse, emotional abuse and neglect. Although child prostitution is recorded as sexual abuse, it is not broken down according to the type of sexual abuse reported. In 2011 there were 15,808 referrals where there was a concern of child abuse received and in 2012 there were 19,044 received. Figures to date for 2013 indicate that the level of referrals will be similar to the number of reports made to Social Work Services in 2012.

The HSE has advised that all referrals received receive an initial assessment to determine what further action is required in accordance with Children First Guidance (2011). Any immediate protective action which may be required is taken in accordance with the HSE's statutory duty under the Child Care Act 1991. Intervention is provided as appropriate ensuring at all times that it is proportionate and in accordance with an assessment of the child's needs. Where it is not possible to deal immediately with a referral of abuse, those which are assessed as highest priority are dealt with in the first instance by social work teams. All referrals received are reviewed and responses monitored.

It is important to note that a small proportion of all referrals made to the HSE are substantiated as above.

As regards the Deputy's query in relation to making a positive intervention at the earliest possible stage, my Department does not receive information in this regard. However, the HSE are always requested to highlight to my Department any cases which may have policy or legislative implications. This is the position for all cases referred to the HSE, not only those which come through my Department.

Departmental Surveys

Questions (526)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

526. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the extent to which her Department has conducted studies among young persons with a view to determination of the issues most likely to affect their confidence and self-esteem; the measures if any that were put in place by way of response; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54365/13]

Written answers

Minister for Children and Youth Affairs

My Department has both sponsored studies in this area and collated relevant evidence from other studies. Since 2006, my Department has produced a biennial publication which includes data on a wide range of well being indicators affecting the lives of children in Ireland. The study includes a section containing data on social, emotional and behavioural outcomes relating to children. Data from the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children Survey (HBSC) relating to self esteem, found that 57.3% of children reported feeling happy with the way they are, although this percentage reduced with older children. There were also regional differences with 60.9% children living in the South-West reporting feeling happy with the way they are compared to 53.6% in the West.

The "How We see It: Report of a Survey on Young People’s Body Image" report was conducted by young people from the Dáil na nÓg Council in 2011 and published in October 2013. 2,156 young people, aged between 10 and 21 years completed the survey, which was anonymous. The findings from this survey clearly demonstrate that body image is a burning and complex issue for young people in contemporary Ireland, with 77% of participants ranking body image as important to them. Key findings included:

- Two out of 3 participants say that they were fairly or very satisfied with their body image with more than twice as many boys as girls being satisfied (22% male; 8% female) and girls expressing considerably stronger dissatisfaction (26% female; 10% male).

- 97% of the young people who took part in the survey do some type of exercise, and activity and sports were cited as most important in supporting positive body image. However, girls are twice as likely as boys not to take enough exercise to stay healthy, while boys are more than twice as likely as girls to feel that they take more exercise than is healthy.

- 60% of all participants said they feel pressurised to look good for other people. Girls (70%) were far more likely to say this than boys (46%).

- More than half of all the young people surveyed said their body image interferes with their participation in certain activities (such as swimming, dating, putting photographs on Facebook) and girls are up to twice as likely as boys to find it harder to take part in all of the listed activities.

My Department also recently published ‘Youth work: A systematic map of the research literature’ (2013). This publication provides an international review of the available evidence relating to the contribution that youth work can make to improve the lives of young people. ‘Sense of self’ was identified as one of seven key human and social capital outcomes for young people where youth work was seen to make a valuable contribution. These findings will inform my Department in developing its policy objectives for young people and in supporting quality-based and outcomes-focused youth work and related provision.

Question No. 527 answered with Question No. 524.

Youth Services

Questions (528, 529, 531, 532)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

528. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the extent to which her Department continues to interact with youth organisations with particular reference to the need to identify their issues of concern and to offer appropriate assistance; the extent to which this has continued over the past 12 months to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54367/13]

Bernard Durkan

Question:

529. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the issues most commonly brought to her Department’s attention by youth organisations or members of the public in the course of the past two years to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54368/13]

Bernard Durkan

Question:

531. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the extent to which her Department continues to have access to adequate funding for youth support services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54371/13]

Bernard Durkan

Question:

532. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the extent to which she has been in a position to offer funding for youth support services to the various youth organisations throughout County Kildare in the past 12 months; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54372/13]

Written answers

Minister for Children and Youth Affairs

I propose to take Questions Nos. 528, 529, 531 and 532 together.

The Youth Affairs Unit of my Department 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. The funding schemes support national and local youth work provision to some 400,000 young people and involve approximately 1,400 paid staff and 40,000 volunteers working in youth work services and communities throughout the country.

In 2013, €53.498m has been made available for services for young people. This includes capital funding of €1.5m to support projects in the youth services, including new Youth Cafés and €0.250m for the provision of Play and Recreation facilities. This year, it proved possible, in the context of end year savings and efficiencies, to provide additional assistance to over 35 youth projects and organisations to assist them in ensuring their sustainability for the year ahead. Youth Officers of the Education and Training Boards, who have very close links with local youth projects, have been of great assistance to my Department in this process.

With regard to funding for Co. Kildare, €458,220 has been provided to six projects and services in 2013. In addition, I have recently allocated an amount of €50,000 to Kildare Youth Hub, Kildare town towards the cost of developing a youth café facility which will offer a safe environment for young people to ‘hang out’.

Work is underway in my Department on the determination of the 2014 allocations for the youth services. In line with Government policy, my Department, along with all Government departments, has been required to achieve significant savings on schemes and services in line with the reductions set out in the Comprehensive Review of Expenditure (CRE). I am pleased to advise the Deputy that, as part of Budget 2014, I have secured an additional allocation of €1m in current funding to reduce the impact of the CRE savings requirements on the youth services next year. The additional allocation means that the savings requirement in 2014 will be €2m rather than €3m indicated for the youth services in the CRE and the total current funding allocation for youth services will be €49.78m.

Every effort is being made to finalise the 2014 funding allocations promptly so that youth projects and national youth organisations can be advised of their 2014 allocations as soon as possible.

My Department has strong links with youth sector organisations and there is regular interaction with them on a range of issues including matters to do with ensuring quality services to meet young people’s needs and the challenges youth organisations encounter in managing the budgets available to them over the year. The most prominent issues brought to my Department’s attention over the past two years related to the impact of reduced budgets on youth organisations and youth projects throughout the country. The youth organisations also followed closely Ireland’s Presidency of the EU Youth Council of Ministers, in which we prioritised the importance of quality youth services for young people’s social inclusion and the contribution of youth work to the attainment of the goals of the Europe 2020 strategy, particularly for youth employment. The National Youth Council of Ireland partnered my Department in the organisation of the EU youth conference held in Dublin in March. Over 200 young people and policy makers from all the member states discussed issues of concern to youth, including youth unemployment, education and training and access to social services and supports for young people. Youth sector organisations where active participants in the Expert Round Table event which I hosted in June, in Co Kildare, and in which for the first time, youth organisations came together with employer and business representatives to discuss the contribution of youth work to young people's employability and entrepreneurship. My Department continues to work closely with the youth sector on these priority issues in the context of the Government’s plan for the Youth Guarantee.

My Department works collaboratively with the youth sector organisations on important policy initiatives in various fora. The National Youth Work Advisory Committee appointed by me in January 2013 includes representatives of the national youth organisations as well as statutory sector interests. The youth work organisations are making a significant contribution to my Department’s work, through the National Youth Work Advisory Committee which is undertaking preparatory work on the proposed new youth policy strategy for completion next year.

I, and officials of my Department will continue to meet with many youth organisations and groups to try and 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 and responsive youth services for young people.

Youth Services

Questions (530)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

530. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the extent to which she and-or her Department continue to monitor the most commonly mentioned issues affecting the general well-being of young persons; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54370/13]

Written answers

Minister for Children and Youth Affairs

My Department publishes a biennial State of the Nations Children report which aims to describe the lives of children in Ireland, to track changes over time and to benchmark the progress of children in Ireland relative to other countries. The report focuses specifically on children's outcomes (including health, educational and social, emotional and behavioural), children’s relationships with family and friends and children’s services and supports.

The first “State of the Nation’s Children” report was produced in 2006 and three further publications have issued since then. The report is based on a National Set of Child Well-being Indicators. These indicators were developed in 2005 through a consultative process with multiple stakeholders, including children themselves. The indicator set is comprised of over 50 individual indicators which are reported on using previously published data. It is intended that these indicators will be reviewed and updated. The next State of the Nation’s Children Report is due to be published in 2014.

As well as reporting on the national set of well-being indicators, my Department also manages the “National Longitudinal Study of Children in Ireland” (NLSCI).

The purpose of the research is ‘to study the factors that contribute to or undermine the well-being of children in contemporary Irish families; and through this, contribute to the setting of effective and responsive policies relating to children and to the design of services for children and families’.

The study monitors the development of almost 20,000 children – an infant cohort of approximately 11,100 children aged nine months and a child cohort of 8,570 children aged nine years.

- The infant cohort includes 1 in every 5 children born over the period 1st December 2007 and 30th June 2008.

- The child cohort included around 1 in every 6 nine-year old children in Ireland at the time of the first wave of data collection (which took place from May 2007 and September 2008).

The first phase of the Growing Up in Ireland will conclude in 2014 and it is intended to put in place a new contract to continue monitoring the study children into later life.

My Department is committed to continuing the Growing Up in Ireland Study, to provide high quality data on a whole range of child outcomes, and arrangements are underway to commission a second phase of the study to ensure that this rich data source is continued and built upon.

Questions Nos. 531 and 532 answered with Questions No. 528.

Child Abuse Prevention

Questions (533)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

533. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of instances of child physical, mental or sex abuse reported to her Department throughout County Kildare in the past two years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54373/13]

Written answers

Minister for Children and Youth Affairs

Statutory 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.

Each referral received by the HSE is assessed and progressed on an individual basis by the relevant social work team. Preliminary screening is aimed at establishing the appropriateness of the referral to HSE Children and Family services and if necessary is followed by an initial assessment of the nature and degree of any harm and an assessment of the child's needs.

The HSE has advised that from the period January 2012 to date there has been a total of 826 referrals for child abuse to the HSE Child and Family Services, Social Work Department in Kildare/West Wicklow. Three hundred and forty seven referrals received related to a concern of physical abuse - 46 of these were confirmed and 9 are still under investigation. Two hundred and twenty seven referrals received related to a concern of sexual abuse - 18 of these were confirmed and 29 are still under investigation. Two hundred and fifty two referrals received related to a concern of mental abuse - of these 49 were confirmed and 4 are still under investigation.

Consultancy Contracts

Questions (534, 536)

Niall Collins

Question:

534. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the total amount spent on external IT consultants by her Department in 2010, 2011, 2012 and to date in 2013; the estimated spending in 2014; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54435/13]

Niall Collins

Question:

536. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if her Department has re-negotiated external IT consultancy contracts and costs since March 2011; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54467/13]

Written answers

Minister for Children and Youth Affairs

I propose to take Questions Nos. 534 and 536 together.

IT support for my Department is provided by the Department of Health. The Department of Health engages external contractors for specific services, such as software development and network support. External consultants are not engaged in relation to IT and, consequently, the issue of renegotiation does not arise.

Departmental Legal Costs

Questions (535)

Billy Timmins

Question:

535. Deputy Billy Timmins asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the cost of legal action against her Department for the years 2011 and 2012 and to date in 2013; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54451/13]

Written answers

Minister for Children and Youth Affairs

The following costs have been incurred by my Department in respect of legal actions.

Year	Cost Incurred
2011	€135,207.52
2012	€95,188.76
2013	€349,636.52

Question No. 536 answered with Question No. 534.