Written Answers Nos. 140-147
140. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the extent to which he continues to monitor the adequacy of child support services where specific issues have already been brought to the attention of the relevant section of his Department; if ongoing assessment of the need is being undertaken, with a view to providing the best possible services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27963/15]
View answer145. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the extent to which his Department continues to monitor the welfare of children in the various forms of State care; if he continues to be satisfied that adequate safety measures remain in place to deal with the situation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27971/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 140 and 145 together.
My Department receives regular reports from Tusla, the Child and Family Agency on progress during the year, including detailed reporting on key performance and activity indicators of service provision, including children in care. Officials also meet Tusla management as needed as well as regular meetings on a monthly and quarterly basis. Tusla has internal mechanisms for quality assurance of its services, in addition to the regulatory monitoring requirements, which include regular visits by a social worker to children in care. My officials use information provided by Tusla to monitor the current status of service provision and the effect as reforms to services take effect. Activity indicators allow for attention to be focussed on areas where further improvement is required. In addition to regular reports, Tusla also provides occasional or special topic reports, as needed, which can then be used for budget and resource planning. For example, Tusla is preparing a national review of cases waiting the allocation of a social worker which will inform plans for social worker recruitment and deployment in the short to medium term.
In addition to the reporting arrangements with Tusla, my Department also reviews the findings of a number of independent bodies, which are made available in the inspection reports from the Health Information and Quality Authority, reports on child deaths and serious incidents from the independently chaired National Review Panel, and reports from the Ombudsman for Children. Contact is maintained with the non-governmental bodies on issues within the sector, including, for example, the Children's Rights Alliance, EPIC and the Irish Foster Care Association. My Department chairs an Inter Departmental Group on the implementation of Children First. This group works to ensure that all bodies working with children, including those with particular vulnerabilities, are aware of their responsibilities with regard to the welfare and protection of children and are provided with the necessary training and guidance to support them in this work. The information gained from these various avenues relates not just to deficits in the child welfare and protection service but, equally, to good practice and positive outcomes. This information informs the interactions my Department has with Tusla on the quality and performance of the services to vulnerable children.
It is also the case that Tusla would inform my Department of specific issues where risks are identified and to ensure that effective management responses are put in place. This recently occurred when Tusla informed me of issues that had arisen in the Midlands and Louth/Meath administrative areas. I was briefed early by Tusla on actions to rectify these issues. I am happy to say from briefings provided to me by Tusla management that the response has been positive and that they are delivering on the action plans. At the end of the work in these administrative areas, there will be improved services and, also, a tried and tested model for short term and rapid improvements should this be needed in the future.
141. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the criteria used by his Department to determine the number of children or families deemed to be in need, for whatever reason; the extent to which he expects to be in a position to make adequate provision to meet such requirements in the short to medium term; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27964/15]
View answer142. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the methodology used to identify or determine the number of families or children deemed to be at risk or in need, for whatever reason; if he is satisfied that the provisions in place remain adequate to deal with the situation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27965/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 141 and 142 together.
My Department has a range of systems in place to ensure it is informed of risk to children and families and the measures put in place to minimise these risks. Child Protection and Welfare Services provided by Tusla, the Child and Family Agency are demand led services. Monthly, quarterly and annual reports are received from Tusla, in respect of its functions, including detailed reporting on key performance indicators. These reports give a good indication of the number of children and families in receipt of or requiring intervention. The reports also provide statistical evidence of improvements to Child Welfare and Protection Services and highlights challenges and areas where further improvement is required. For example, data is received on referrals and assessment processes, at national level, broken down by administrative regions and local areas. Tusla's annual service planning process is informed by monitoring and performance data from each administrative area.
Officials frequently meet with Tusla to review areas in need of improvement, and I also meet with Tusla on a quarterly basis in this regard. There are protocols in place for the Agency to inform my Department of specific issues where risks are identified and to ensure that robust management responses are put in place.
There is a wide range of child and family support services available through both the statutory and non statutory sectors. These include services provided by Government Departments, other state agencies and an extensive network of non governmental organisations. In the area of child welfare and protection services we now have, with the establishment of the Child and Family Agency, the necessary structure to ensure the provision of a more responsive and integrated service to children, young people and families at risk. The Agency, in discharging its functions, places a strong emphasis on prevention, early intervention, family support, therapeutic and care interventions, all of which are key to the provision of integrated, multi-disciplinary services for vulnerable children and families.
Separately, my Department chairs an Inter Departmental Group on the implementation of Children First. This group works to ensure that all bodies working with children, including those with particular vulnerabilities, are aware of their responsibilities with regard to the welfare and protection of children and are provided with the necessary training and guidance to support them in this work.
143. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the extent to which he expects to be in a position to provide adequate funding to groups, bodies and agencies involved in the provision of youth support services; the extent to which he has identified specific shortfalls in this regard, with a view to making adequate provision; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27966/15]
View answerMy Department administers a range of funding schemes and programmes to support the provision of youth services to young people throughout the country including those from disadvantaged communities. The funding schemes support national and local youth work provision to some 380,000 young people and involve approximately, 1,400 youth work staff in 477 projects and 40,000 volunteers working in youth work services and communities throughout the country. In 2015, funding of €49.9 m was provided to my Department for these schemes. There was no reduction in the funding for the youth services in 2015 which was a key priority for the national voluntary youth organisations.
My Department is developing a new National Youth Strategy 2015 - 2020. It will be a universal strategy for all young people aged 10 to 24 years. It will have a particular focus on those who are most disadvantaged or at risk and who have the poorest outcomes and therefore in most need of support.
This new strategy takes account of the social and economic factors that influence young people’s situation, and the important roles that parents, families, friends, other adults and communities play in their lives. Its development is informed by national and European policy developments and the results of a national consultation process. This process involved over 3,500 people, including 2,000 young people under age 25, the youth sector, NGOs working with young people, Education and Training Boards, Government departments, agencies, business and academia and other youth interests.
The Strategy will identify key objectives to be achieved for young people so that they may be active and healthy, achieving their full potential in learning and development, safe and protected from harm, have economic security and opportunity and be connected and contributing to their world. It will identify a number of priority actions to be delivered by stakeholders including Government departments, state agencies and by the NGO sector over the years 2015 to 2017.
The question of additional funding for the youth services is a matter for consideration in the context of the resources made available to my Department in the estimates and budgetary process and having regard to the priorities identified in the new National Youth Strategy for 2014-2020. My Department is working to finalise the new National Youth Strategy and it is anticipated that it may be available in the coming weeks.
144. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the extent to which his Department continues to detect and monitor potential situations of child abuse of a sexual, physical or psychological nature; if he remains satisfied regarding the adequacy of the provisions currently in place to deal with the situation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27970/15]
View answerTusla, the Child and Family Agency holds the statutory responsibility for child welfare and protection, and is the appropriate body to receive reports of concerns relating to children at risk. Where there are reasonable grounds for concern for a child's welfare and protection, Tusla should always be informed. This has been Tusla's responsibility since its establishment in January 2014.
As part of governance arrangements, Tusla provides my Department with regular performance activity reports for monitoring purposes. These include figures showing the number of referrals which are disaggregated by welfare concerns and abuse concerns. The most recent validated figures for referrals to hand are up to the end Quarter 4 of 2014. Tusla has stated that, subject to validation, the total number of referrals for 2014 shows that there were 43,200 reports of child protection and welfare concerns received by Tusla.
The most recent figures for child welfare concerns and child abuse concerns highlight that Child Welfare and Protection Services received a total of 10,492 referrals during Quarter 4 2014. For the period in question, 6,063 (58%) were child welfare concerns and 4,429 (42%) were child abuse concerns.
In addition to the rigorous governance arrangements within Tusla, my Department also reviews the findings of a number of independent bodies including: the Health Information and Quality Authority inspection reports, reports on child deaths and serious incidents from the independently chaired National Review Panel and reports from the Ombudsman for Children. My Department also maintains contact with non-governmental bodies on issues within the sector, including, for example, the Children's Rights Alliance, and the Irish Foster Care Association. This is in addition to the day to day monitoring of children who may be at risk or children in care that is carried out by Tusla as part of its responsibilities under the Child Care Act 1991, as amended, and the Child and Family Agency Act, 2013.
146. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the extent to which his Department continues to support Kildare youth services throughout the county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27972/15]
View answerMy Department administers a range of funding schemes and programmes to support the provision of youth services to young people throughout the country including those from disadvantaged communities. The funding schemes support national and local youth work provision to some 380,000 young people and involve approximately 1,400 youth work staff in 477 projects and 40,000 volunteers working in youth work services and communities throughout the country. In 2015, funding of €49.9m has been provided to my Department for these schemes. There has been no reduction in the overall allocation for youth services in 2015 which was a key priority for youth organisations. My Department has notified youth organisations and projects, including Kildare Youth Service, of their 2015 allocations in respect of their youth services. An allocation of €488,200 has been allocated for the projects and services under Kildare Youth Services, which operates under Youth Work Ireland.
Last year, officials of my Department met Kildare Youth Services and have visited their office in Naas to hear about their work and their proposals for the provision of services in County Kildare. My Department provides funding to Kildare Youth Services under the Special Projects for Youth Scheme in respect of six local youth projects in Athy, Naas, Leixlip, Newbridge, the Curragh and Kildare town and a Youth Information Centre in Naas. In addition, Kildare Youth Hub, Kildare Town has received approval under the 2013 Capital Scheme for the development of a new youth café facility. Officials of my Department continue to be available to meet with youth services to discuss any issues that arise for them in the provision of local services within the budgets available.
147. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the extent to which his Department engages with voluntary and local groups and youth services with a view to providing positive and supportive assistance to young persons; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27974/15]
View answerMy Department administers a range of funding schemes and programmes to support the provision of youth services to young people throughout the country including those from disadvantaged communities. The funding schemes support national and local youth work provision to some 380,000 young people and involve approximately 1,400 youth work staff in 477 projects and 40,000 volunteers working in youth work services and communities throughout the country. In 2015, funding of €49.9m has been provided to my Department for these schemes.
I, and officials of my Department have met, and continue to meet, regularly with many youth organisations and groups to see how we can work together to bring about the best possible outcomes for young people, having regard to resources available to us and to ensure that the programmes and services being provided are relevant and responsive to young people’s needs. Ongoing engagement and dialogue with the youth sector organisations and with young people themselves are priorities in the development of the policies and services to support young people’s development and learning.
My Department is developing a new National Youth Strategy. It will be a universal strategy for all young people aged 10-24 years and will have a particular focus on those young people who are most marginalised or at risk and who have the poorest outcomes and therefore who are most in need of support.
The National Youth Strategy is almost finalised. It has been developed in close consultation with statutory youth interests and the voluntary youth organisations and services that work with young people. A National Youth Strategy Task Group, convened by my Department and chaired by the Director of the National Youth Council of Ireland is overseeing the development of the strategy. This Task Group comprises representatives of Government Departments, relevant agencies, business, academia and youth interests.
An Advisory Group, established by the National Youth Council of Ireland and comprising some 18 National Voluntary Youth Organisations also had an input to the Strategy. My Department further undertook a comprehensive consultation with youth stakeholders and young people on the priorities for the youth strategy . My Department is working to finalise the new National Youth Strategy in the coming weeks.
