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Education Welfare Service Provision

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 11 February 2014

Tuesday, 11 February 2014

Questions (558)

Denis Naughten

Question:

558. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the steps she is taking to address the issue of truancy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2278/14]

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Written answers

As the Deputy may be aware the functions and operational responsibilities of the former National Educational Welfare Board (NEWB) are now part of the new Child and Family Agency, which was established on 1st January 2014. The decision by Government to amalgamate education welfare services into the Child and Family Agency broadens the focus of the Agency and tackles educational welfare as a key outcome for children in its own right and as a positive contributor to other outcomes. It will provide opportunities for more effective working amongst the range of professionals involved in directly supporting children and their families to participate in and benefit from the education system.

The three service strands formerly under the remit of NEWB – the statutory Educational Welfare Service and the School Support Programme services under the DEIS Action Plan (namely, the Home-School Community Liaison Scheme and the School Completion Programme) collectively form the Educational Welfare Services (EWS) of the new Agency.

The EWS has specific responsibility for the Agency’s general function to ensure that each child attends a recognised school or otherwise receives a certain minimum education. I am advised by the Agency that the EWS worked with over 20,000 children in 2012. Some 2,420 cases involved intensive intervention and a multidisciplinary approach and the provision of sustained support by an Education Welfare Officer to address the child's needs and support school attendance.

The Child and Family Agency will deliver an integrated approach to educational welfare services through the continued reform of work practices to provide an enhanced response to the needs of children, families and schools. The education welfare interventions will be aligned with the overall assessment processes under the new Agency's national service delivery framework and as part of the process the Agency is reviewing the basis on which the EWS is configured to ensure services are available based on the needs of children and young people. This strategic national approach is a crucial reform in our efforts to improve school attendance, participation and retention.

I am advised that the EWS is developing guidelines for schools on the preparation of attendance strategies in line with Section 22 of the Education (Welfare) Act, 2000. The guidelines will provide further clarity to schools in terms of their responsibilities under the Act, and will focus on the practical supports which can be implemented at school level to enable children to maximise their attendance, participation and retention in schools. The EWS intends to complete this work within the current academic year.

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