Billy Kelleher
Question:431. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs when his Department's annual report for 2014 will be published. [30208/15]
View answerDepartmental Reports
Questions (431)
Written answers
I can inform the Deputy that my Department is currently in the process of preparing its 2014 Annual Report. I expect that, following the compilation of all the relevant material, the Report will be published in the coming weeks.
Child and Family Agency Services
Questions (432, 433, 434, 435, 436)
Denis Naughten
Question:432. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the steps which have been taken by Tusla - Child and Family Agency to address concerns raised by the Health Information and Quality Authority in its 2013 inspection report on child and family services in County Roscommon; if the service is now fully compliant with all standards inspected, and if not, if he will provide details of the outstanding issues; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30225/15]
View answerDenis Naughten
Question:433. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of referrals to the child and family services in County Roscommon that are awaiting an initial assessment; the number that are designated as high-priority; the current waiting time to assess each category; the steps being taken to address this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30226/15]
View answerDenis Naughten
Question:434. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of referrals to the child and family services in County Galway that are awaiting an initial assessment; the number that are designated as high-priority; the current waiting time to assess each category; the steps being taken to address this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30227/15]
View answerDenis Naughten
Question:435. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of cases currently ongoing with the child and family services in County Roscommon, which have a social worker allocated; the number which are awaiting the allocation of a social worker; the steps being taken to address this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30228/15]
View answerDenis Naughten
Question:436. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of cases currently ongoing with the child and family services in County Galway, which have a social worker allocated; the number which are awaiting the allocation of a social worker; the steps being taken to address this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30229/15]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 432 to 436, inclusive, together.
As outlined in my reply to the Deputy on 18 December last, the Health Information and Quality Authority carried out an inspection of the Co. Roscommon child welfare and protection services of Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. The report in respect of monitoring against national standards was published in July 2014. This inspection report indicated that the service was well managed and that key staff provided appropriate leadership in the context of the transition from the HSE to Tusla. It also found that children received a child-centred child protection and welfare service which supported them in the key decisions about their safety and welfare. The associated action plan was accepted by HIQA and Tusla has informed me that the actions had been largely completed by October 2014. The inspection and the action plan are both published by HIQA on their website.
The data provided to us by Tusla is not disaggregated at county level, but is provided grouped in 17 administrative areas. In relation to referrals it is important to note that not all referrals would progress to initial assessment. In the last quarter of 2014, Tusla has informed me that there were 809 referrals of a child welfare and protection nature made in the Galway/Roscommon area and that 40% of these required an initial assessment to be carried out.
Figures on the allocation of social workers are available by area to me up to the end of the first quarter of 2015. These show that there were 1,194 cases allocated in the Galway/Roscommon with 309 awaiting allocation of a dedicated social worker, a reduction of 18% on the final quarter of 2014. Of these cases awaiting allocation, 128 cases were reported as high priority, with 167 cases reported as medium and 14 cases as low priority. I wish to assure the Deputy that those cases awaiting allocation are responded to by a duty team on a risk management basis. During this time, specific pieces of work on the child's case may be undertaken by staff working in the duty system. Nationally, Tusla has been preparing a national review of cases awaiting allocation of a social worker. This review will inform the overall approach by Tusla for the budget and deployment of social work staff into the future.
In an update on the HIQA inspection and action plan provided to the Deputy earlier this year, Tusla informed me that there were some remaining steps to be taken on one action. This involved formalising monthly meetings with social work team leaders and family support leaders, and ensuring that the day to day operations of the service reflect the local statement of purpose. I have asked Tusla for an update on the status of the remaining item from the action plan in Galway/Roscommon and I will revert to the Deputy when this is to hand.
Early Years Strategy Implementation
Questions (437)
Denis Naughten
Question:437. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he will approve funding under the early years capital fund (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30241/15]
View answerWritten answers
Funding totalling €7 million is being made available in 2015 under the Early Years Capital Programme 2015, with €5 million of this funding available for grants specifically for community/not for profit services. This funding will provide grant aid, in the region of €500,000, for significant upgrades of community/not-for-profit services, such as major refurbishment or relocation to new premises. Also under this strand of funding, grants of up to €50,000 will be available for essential maintenance, or works undertaken to improve the energy performance of childcare facilities. The remaining €2 million in capital funding is being made available for both private and community childcare facilities to access grants of up to €500 for quality improvement measures, specifically in the area of upgrading IT facilities.
I understand that the childcare service referred to by the Deputy has submitted an application to Pobal, who is administering this programme on behalf of my Department. Pobal has now commenced the process of appraising applications and all applicants will be advised of the outcome as soon as possible.
Early Years Strategy Implementation
Questions (438)
Denis Naughten
Question:438. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of applications under the early years capital fund that he has received, by county, and the grant aid sought; the total budget available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30242/15]
View answerWritten answers
Funding totalling €7 million is being made available in 2015 under the Early Years Capital Programme 2015, with €5 million of this funding available for grants specifically for community/not for profit services. This funding will provide grant aid, in the region of €500,000, for significant upgrades of community/not-for-profit services, such as major refurbishment or relocation to new premises. Also under this strand of funding, grants of up to €50,000 will be available for essential maintenance, or works undertaken to improve the energy performance of childcare facilities. The remaining €2 million in capital funding is being made available for both private and community childcare facilities to access grants of up to €500 for quality improvement measures, specifically in the area of upgrading IT facilities.
Pobal, who is administering this programme on behalf of my Department, has provided the breakdown of the applications in the following table.
|
County |
No. Applications under all strands |
Total amount requested € |
|
Carlow |
33 |
414,038 |
|
Cavan |
43 |
1,739,771 |
|
Clare |
94 |
116,157 |
|
Cork City |
42 |
707,476 |
|
Cork County |
183 |
1,352,416 |
|
Donegal |
88 |
1,056,246 |
|
Dublin City |
199 |
1,460,711 |
|
Dún Laoghaire/Rathdown |
70 |
56,618 |
|
Fingal |
125 |
293,706 |
|
Galway |
135 |
561,066 |
|
Kerry |
76 |
925,791 |
|
Kildare |
143 |
114,001 |
|
Kilkenny |
34 |
289,524 |
|
Laois |
34 |
164,524 |
|
Leitrim |
19 |
249,334 |
|
Limerick |
105 |
989,853 |
|
Longford |
30 |
156,909 |
|
Louth |
58 |
235,905 |
|
Mayo |
47 |
648,819 |
|
Meath |
148 |
141,955 |
|
Monaghan |
43 |
245,630 |
|
Offaly |
46 |
55,314 |
|
Roscommon |
42 |
212,325 |
|
Sligo |
25 |
243,406 |
|
South Dublin |
90 |
1,157,476 |
|
Tipperary North |
45 |
21,089 |
|
Tipperary South |
45 |
118,349 |
|
Waterford |
43 |
243,128 |
|
Westmeath |
48 |
82,995 |
|
Wexford |
44 |
408,533 |
|
Wicklow |
130 |
187,665 |
|
Totals |
2307 |
€14,650,730 |
Child Care Services Regulation
Questions (439)
Denis Naughten
Question:439. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs further to Parliamentary Question No. 132 of 24 February 2015, the progress to date on providing paediatric first-aid; the standards; his plans to publish the new regulations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30255/15]
View answerWritten answers
As I outlined in my previous reply, I am very anxious that all people working directly with children in the early years sector have an appropriate Paediatric First Aid qualification. However, there is no accredited award in Paediatric First Aid at any level on the National Framework of Qualifications. There is an accredited award in Occupational First Aid and it is a stipulation that the training can only be provided by organisations or individuals on the Register of Occupational First Aid Training Providers. This register is maintained on behalf of the Health and Safety Authority by the Occupational First Aid Assessment Agent.
The delivery of Paediatric First Aid courses could be regulated by developing a Special Purpose Award through Quality and Qualifications Ireland and my Department has already sent such an award proposal to them. However, the same standards that apply to the delivery of the Occupational First Aid award should also apply to Paediatric First Aid courses. There are currently a lot of companies delivering one day courses in Paediatric First Aid and offering their own certificate of accreditation. I would like to see an external quality assurance process in place to ensure that these companies have the skills and competences to deliver a nationally accredited course.
My Department is continuing to liaise with the relevant agencies seeking to progress the development of a Special Purpose Award in Paediatric First Aid and the external quality assurance of the delivery of such an award, and I have asked my officials to keep me informed of developments in this matter.
Officials in my Department are working closely with the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel to develop a comprehensive draft of the new childcare regulations which will include a requirement that early years services have a person trained in first aid available at all times. I hope to publish these new regulations shortly.
Child and Family Agency Services
Questions (440)
Terence Flanagan
Question:440. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he will reinstate funding to a service (details supplied) in Dublin 5; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30278/15]
View answerWritten answers
Tusla, the Child and Family Agency has been tasked with improving outcomes and well being for children and young people. The Agency must ensure that it makes the most efficient use of its resources in a way that is efficient, equitable, proportionate and sustainable.
Tusla prioritises the well being and protection of children in budgetary decisions. In that context, Tusla’s budget is being directed towards services which are best aligned to those outcomes prioritised in the Agency’s Corporate Plan.
Tusla makes provision for pre-school care and education through discretionary grant aid agreements with pre-schools which offer early intervention and specialised support for children who are not in receipt of adequate care and protection.
Since 2009, there have been significant developments in the co-ordination and provision of early childhood support and childcare provision. Locally, this sits alongside a backdrop of significant population change and emergence of new areas of socio-economic deprivation and disadvantage within the North Dublin area.
Tusla, North Dublin has continued to provide significant funding to six nurseries in the North Dublin Region. Tusla values the work of the nursery in question and will continue to work in partnership with organisations that have responsibility for early years services. The position with regard to funding has not changed since my most recent correspondence with the Deputy on 29 June, 2015.
Child and Family Agency Expenditure
Questions (441)
Robert Troy
Question:441. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the latest figures on spending by local authorities on guardians ad litem. [30285/15]
View answerWritten answers
Under the Child Care Act 1991, as amended, the Child and Family Agency has responsibility for payment of any costs incurred by a person who has been appointed by a court to act as a guardian ad litem in proceedings under the Act.
The Agency has informed me that its financial system does not provide details of payments to guardians ad litem on a local authority basis. The figure for payments made direct to guardians ad litem to end of May 2015 is €3,974,698.49. These are the most recent figures available. This figure does not include legal fees relating to the provision of guardian ad litem services.
Early Childhood Care and Education
Questions (442)
Robert Troy
Question:442. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the latest figures held by his Department by local authority on the number of special needs assistants who are available to children with special education needs and who are partaking in the early child care and education programme and the community child care subvention programme, in the latest year available. [30286/15]
View answerWritten answers
The majority of children with special needs are able to access the free pre-school year, provided under the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme, in mainstream childcare services, without the provision of any additional supports. In the region of 65,000, including children with special needs, avail of the free pre-school provision each year.
There are a number of measures currently in place in my Department to ensure that the free pre-school year is more accessible to children with special needs. These include an exemption from the upper age limit where a child would benefit from starting primary school at a later age. In addition, children with special needs can apply to have the pre-school year split over two years on a pro-rata basis, for example availing of the programme for 2 days a week in the first year and for 3 days a week in the second year.
On the specific issue of children with special needs that require additional supports to enable them to access pre-schools, the Department of Health has informed my Department that, while the Health Service Executive has no statutory obligation to provide assistant supports for these children, it does work at local level and in partnership with the relevant disability service providers to address individual needs as they arise. This is done, for example, by funding special pre-schools that cater specifically for children with disabilities. In some limited cases at a local level, disability services have also facilitated children with disabilities to attend mainstream pre-schools by providing assistant supports where possible and subject to resources. My Department does not collate figures in relation to HSE's provision of such pre-school assistant supports. The provision of these pre-school assistant supports should not be confused with Special Needs Assistants who are funded by the Department of Education and Skills to support children with special educational needs in primary and post-primary school settings.
This Government recognises that co-ordination and provision of appropriate supports for pre-school children with special needs could be improved. Accordingly, when I established the Inter-Departmental Group on Future Investment in Early Years and School Age Care and Education, I included in its terms of reference the need to examine how best to provide for children with special needs within mainstream pre-school settings.
To advance this, the Departments of Children and Youth Affairs, Education and Skills, and Health have agreed to work together to develop a new model of supports for pre-school children with special needs. My Department is leading the process, with full and active support from the other two Departments and their respective agencies.
A group comprising representatives from these three Departments, the HSE, Tusla, the National Council for Special Education, the National Disability Authority, Better Start and the Dublin City Childcare Committee has started its work. This Group aims to have an agreed model by early September, with a view to making a cross-departmentally supported proposal for the resources required in time for the Estimates process.
Child and Family Agency Services
Questions (443)
Robert Troy
Question:443. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the latest figures on the number of children on waiting lists for counselling services; and the average waiting time for child counselling services by local authority or county. [30287/15]
View answerWritten answers
Tusla, along with other agencies, provides counselling and support to children and families availing of the Agency's services. I am advised by Tusla that they do not routinely collect data in relation to the number of children on waiting lists or the average length of time they must wait to see a counsellor.
Tulsa funds a large number of counselling organisations, the majority of which are voluntary. The organisations that are funded vary enormously in size and approach. Some are dedicated counselling bodies while others provide counselling as part of a wider range of social and family services. Tusla is using the total resources available to it in the most efficient, equitable, proportionate and sustainable way in order to improve the well-being and outcomes for children and families.
Children in Care
Questions (444)
Michael McGrath
Question:444. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he will examine the case of a person (details supplied) in County Cork who was taken into State care; if he is aware of concerns that have been expressed about the handling of the case; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30296/15]
View answerWritten answers
Thank you for bringing this to my attention but as the Deputy will appreciate, it is not appropriate for me to comment on an individual case. I have forwarded the information supplied by the Deputy to Tusla, and I requested a short report on the matter. I will revert to the Deputy with appropriate information when the report is received.
Child Care Services Funding
Questions (445)
Brendan Smith
Question:445. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if specific funding will be allocated towards the ongoing costs of running a child care facility (details supplied) in County Cavan; if additional financial assistance will be provided for smaller child care facilities in rural areas with small populations, due to the particular challenges they encounter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30331/15]
View answerWritten answers
The Government provides €260 million annually to a number of childcare support programmes that assist parents with the cost of childcare. This figure includes over €170 million provided annually to support the universal free pre-school provision under the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme.
I understand that in the current school year the service in question received €25,175 under the ECCE programme, €26,057 under the Community Childcare Subvention (CCS) programme to assist low income and disadvantaged families, and €8,480 under the Community Employment Childcare (CEC) programme that supports parents participating in Community Employment (CE) schemes.
The CCS programme has supported small rural and island services by providing funding over and above that generated by the numbers of children enrolled. However, the objective of this funding is to ensure that these isolated services are in receipt of annual funding of not less than €20,000 and, given the level of enrolments in this service, further payments under this provision cannot be considered. City and County Childcare Committees support and advise childcare services in their area who have concerns in relation to sustainability and I would recommend that this service contact Cavan County Childcare Committee and avail of their support.
I recognise the difficulties being faced by childcare providers and parents and I am aware of their concerns in relation to the sustainability of services. I acknowledge that increased capitation and subvention payments through the support programmes would assist childcare services in addressing some of their cost issues. I have indicated that, if resources become available to my Department, I will consider the scope for increasing the level of these capitation payments.
However, I am looking at the question of appropriate supports for child care in a wider context. It is crucial that we develop a coherent whole-of-Government approach to investment in childcare services. To ensure that all the benefits of our full range of childcare investments are fully realised, future public investment in childcare must be evidence based and strategically coordinated. I have established an Inter-Departmental Group to look at the provision right across the 0 to 6 age group as well as to consider the after-school needs of older school-going children. I expect the Group to report to Government shortly.