Written Answers Nos. 691-709
691. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he will provide in tabular form, by county, the funding his Department has provided for city or county child care committees every year since 2011. [30660/15]
View answerThe City and County Childcare Committees (CCCs) were established in 2001 to advance the provision of childcare facilities in their local areas.
The funding provided by this Department to each CCC for the years 2011 to 2015 is shown in the following table. It should be noted that in 2012, my Department reviewed the funding provided to each City and County Childcare Committee relative to the numbers of children and services within the area and the level of deprivation. Following that exercise, it was found that some committees were relatively over funded and others relatively underfunded. A new model for allocations to CCCs was developed and is now being implemented. For the period 2013 and 2014, therefore, the allocations were adjusted so that relatively overfunded CCCs had a greater reduction in funding than those that are relatively underfunded.
City/County Childcare Committees Funding 2011-2015
|
County |
2011 |
2012 |
2013 |
2014 |
2015 |
|
Carlow |
268,510 |
268,000 |
244,000 |
224,000 |
224,000 |
|
Cavan |
268,510 |
268,000 |
248,000 |
234,000 |
234,000 |
|
Clare |
329,501 |
329,000 |
313,000 |
304,000 |
304,000 |
|
Cork City |
333,832 |
333,000 |
308,000 |
299,000 |
299,000 |
|
Cork County |
482,905 |
482,000 |
482,000 |
482,000 |
482,000 |
|
Donegal |
370,369 |
370,000 |
363,000 |
363,000 |
363,000 |
|
Dublin City |
790,390 |
790,000 |
774,000 |
#826,200 |
#826,200 |
|
Dublin - Dún Laoghaire Rathdown |
405,719 |
405,000 |
385,000 |
373,000 |
373,000 |
|
Dublin - Fingal |
469,537 |
469,000 |
460,000 |
460,000 |
460,000 |
|
Dublin - South Dublin |
482,905 |
482,000 |
472,000 |
472,000 |
472,000 |
|
Galway City & County |
463,750 |
463,000 |
454,000 |
454,000 |
454,000 |
|
Kerry |
365,913 |
365,000 |
354,000 |
347,000 |
347,000 |
|
Kildare |
405,719 |
405,000 |
393,000 |
385,000 |
385,000 |
|
Kilkenny |
277,117 |
277,000 |
263,000 |
255,000 |
255,000 |
|
Laois |
264,233 |
264,000 |
244,000 |
230,000 |
230,000 |
|
Leitrim |
249,429 |
249,000 |
227,000 |
209,000 |
209,000 |
|
Limerick City |
261,196 |
261,000 |
241,000 |
227,000 |
x |
|
Limerick County |
365,913 |
365,000 |
338,000 |
319,000 |
x |
|
Limerick |
546,000 |
||||
|
Longford |
249,753 |
249,000 |
227,000 |
209,000 |
209,000 |
|
Louth |
329,502 |
329,000 |
313,000 |
304,000 |
304,000 |
|
Mayo |
329,017 |
329,000 |
319,000 |
313,000 |
313,000 |
|
Meath |
401,264 |
401,000 |
389,000 |
381,000 |
381,000 |
|
Monaghan |
268,187 |
268,000 |
248,000 |
234,000 |
234,000 |
|
Offaly |
277,117 |
277,000 |
256,000 |
241,000 |
241,000 |
|
Roscommon |
268,511 |
268,000 |
248,000 |
234,000 |
234,000 |
|
Sligo |
268,510 |
268,000 |
248,000 |
234,000 |
234,000 |
|
Tipperary North |
268,511 |
268,000 |
248,000 |
234,000 |
234,000 |
|
Tipperary South |
281,573 |
281,000 |
260,000 |
245,000 |
245,000 |
|
Waterford City |
268,510 |
268,000 |
244,000 |
224,000 |
x |
|
Waterford County |
268,511 |
268,000 |
248,000 |
234,000 |
x |
|
Waterford |
458,000 |
||||
|
Westmeath |
277,226 |
277,000 |
256,000 |
241,000 |
241,000 |
|
Wexford |
370,369 |
370,000 |
359,000 |
352,000 |
352,000 |
|
Wicklow |
333,958 |
334,000 |
317,000 |
307,000 |
307,000 |
|
Total |
11,315,967 |
11,300,000 |
10,743,000 |
10,450,200 |
10,450,200 |
# includes €52,000 for child protection co-ordination
x Limerick City and County CC amalgamated
x Waterford City and County CC amalgamated
692. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the amount of investment from capital spending his Department has made in counties Louth and Meath since 2011; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30661/15]
View answerDetails of the resources made available directly by my Department for capital developments in counties Louth and Meath since 2011 are set out in the following table:
|
Funding Scheme |
Location |
Amount |
|
Young People`s Facilities and Services Fund |
Louth |
€82,884 |
|
Youth Café Funding Scheme |
Meath Louth |
€139,300 €168,000 |
|
Youth Capital Funding Scheme |
Meath Louth |
€30,474 €12,143 |
|
Play and Recreation Facilities |
Meath Louth |
€20,000 €10,000 |
|
Childcare Programmes |
Meath Louth |
€322,659 €457,944 |
The value of the overall investment amounts to €1,243,404 and involves expenditure of €512,433 in Co. Meath and €730,971 in Co. Louth.
693. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he will provide figures held by his Department, by county, on the number of children with special education needs who are partaking in the early child care and education programme and the community childcare subvention programme since the roll out of these scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30662/15]
View answer694. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he is satisfied that existing mechanisms in place enabling children with special needs to access early childhood care and education schemes and the community childcare subvention programme are parent-friendly and fit for purpose; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30663/15]
View answer695. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs his views that a serious anomaly exists within the early childhood care and education scheme, whereby the Departments of Children and Youth Affairs and Education and Skills and the Health Service Executive are failing children with special needs where they reach the cut-off age while within the scheme and are then forced to seek an exemption to complete the scheme; and his views that these organisations need to urgently address this situation. [30664/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 693 to 695, inclusive, together.
My Department does not collate figures in relation to the number of children with special needs who avail of the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme or the Community Childcare Subvention (CCS) programme. However, current figures indicate that approximately 95% of eligible children participate in the ECCE programme every year.
My Department is committed to ensuring that all children have the opportunity to access and benefit from this free preschool year and has, in addition to the HSE, made various practical efforts in recent years to support mainstreamed provision for children with special needs. These include: more flexible rules regarding access to the free preschool year, the provision on a limited ad hoc basis by the HSE of funding towards the cost of preschool support assistants in some areas, elective modules on special needs in mandatory courses for early years practitioners, and various initiatives by City and County Childcare Committees, HSE/HSE funded services, and by Better Start’s Early Years Specialist Service to support providers who need expert advice and guidance. In addition, the on-going reorganisation of disability therapy services into multidisciplinary geographic-based teams by the HSE under the Progressing Disability Services for Children and Young People Programme and the early intervention and support that reconfigured teams provide are of importance in the context of mainstreaming.
Nevertheless, this Government recognises that co-ordination and provision of appropriate supports for preschool 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 preschool settings.
To advance this, the Departments of Children and Youth Affairs, Education and Skills, and Health are working together to develop a new model of supports for preschool children with special needs. My Department is leading the process, with full and active support from the other two Departments and their respective agencies.
An Inter-Departmental 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 completed its work and is expected to make a cross-departmentally supported proposal for the resources required in time for the Estimates process.
696. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if it is the case that a new aftercare allowance will be introduced from August 2015 that will pay €300 weekly per individual care leaver in full-time education being looked after by foster parents; if this represents a cut of €52 per week for those in foster care; his views that this might have a negative effect on care leavers not in or struggling with full-time education; the steps being taken to ensure that services for care leavers are put in place to support them taking a full and active role in all parts of society; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30710/15]
View answerAll young people leaving care who have been in care for 12 months on their 16th birthday or for 12 consecutive months prior to their 18th birthday are entitled to an aftercare plan. The transition to independent adulthood can be challenging for many young people and a key factor in achieving success is ensuring that assessment, preparation and planning for leaving care begins in the years prior to leaving care and continues as part of the care planning process. This work is based on collaboration with the young person, their carers and partner agencies to generate an aftercare plan that is specific to the individual young person's needs.
The system care supports provided to the young person will be based on their assessed needs. The needs of young people vary widely. Financial support is one element of this support. Advice, guidance, support and signposting are key elements of this service and these supports are available to all care leavers. For those young people who are not in training or education, aftercare services have a key role in providing support to them in liaising with the relevant departments and agencies in accessing financial assistance, employment opportunities, training or supporting them to return to education.
I have been advised by Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, that following consultation Tusla has introduced a Standardised National Aftercare Allowance for young people who have been in care for 12 months on their 16th birthday or for 12 consecutive months prior to their 18th birthday. This weekly standardised allowance of €300 per week ensures equality for all care leavers engaged in training and education.
This allowance is the first step in a phased development of aftercare services and will provide certainty and consistency for care leavers for the first time. Each care leaver as part of their leaving and aftercare planning will have an Individual Financial Support Plan. This plan forms part of an assessment of need which takes account of all sources of financial support from Tusla, the Department of Education and Skills, the Department of Social Protection and the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government.
The introduction of this aftercare allowance is a step in demonstrating Tusla's commitment to an aftercare service that offers consistent supports to ensure that young people leaving care and aftercare reach their potential in adult life.
Tusla will issue a number of frequently asked questions in relation to this matter on its website, www.tusla.ie in the coming days.
697. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if the proposals in the heads and General Scheme of the Adoption (Information and Tracing) Bill 2015 will have any impact on the availability of birth certificates from the General Register Office, in view of the proposed statutory declaration requiring adopted persons to commit to not contacting their birth parents if they do not wish to be contacted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30813/15]
View answerThe Adoption (Information and Tracing) Bill 2015 provides, that where an adoption was effected prior to the commencement of this Bill, the information required to apply for a Birth Certificate will be provided to an adopted person, when they have signed a statutory declaration agreeing to respect the privacy of their birth parent and not to contact their birth parent or ask anyone else to make contact on their behalf. There will be no requirement for an adopted person to sign a statutory declaration where birth parents have indicated a preference for contact, or consented to the release of the information or where it is established that the birth parents are deceased.
The Bill also provides that where an adoption is effected after the commencement of this Bill an adopted person will be entitled to their birth certificate once they are aged 18 or over.
698. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs when the next round of strand 1 capital grants will be announced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30817/15]
View answer715. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs when the next round of capital funding will be available to build new community child-care centres; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32045/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 698 and 715 together.
Capital funding totalling €7 million is being made available in 2015 for early years services with €5 million of this funding being made available for grants specifically for community/not for profit services.
As you are aware, resources are allocated across each area of Government spending as part of the annual Estimates cycle and budgetary process. It is not possible for me to comment at this time on what funding may be available in the context of Budget 2016.
699. Deputy Pat Deering asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he will provide a breakdown of all private child care facilities in County Carlow that received capital funding since 2005. [30940/15]
View answerA total of €7 million was made available under the Early Years Capital Programme in 2015. Of this funding, €5 million was made available for grants specifically for community/not-for-profit early years services. This funding provided for the allocation of capital grant aid in the region of €500,000 for significant upgrades of services such as major refurbishment or relocation to new premises. Grants of up to €50,000 for essential maintenance, or works undertaken to improve the energy performance of community/not-for-profit services were also provided. The remaining €2 million was made available for both private and community/not-for-profit early years services to access grants of up to €500 for quality improvement measures, specifically in the area of upgrading IT facilities.
Capital funding of €2.5 million was provided in 2014 for the maintenance and upgrade of community/not-for-profit early years services. The objective of this funding was to ensure that previously-funded community/not-for-profit early years services remained fit-for-purpose.
€2.75m was provided in Budget 2013 to support the on-going improvement of early years services. Both private and community/not-for-profit services participating in one of the national childcare programmes implemented by the Department of Children and Youth Affairs were eligible to apply for a grant under this Programme.
Finally, in Budget 2012, the Government announced capital funding of €6m to fund a maintenance programme for early years services (i.e. to address remedial, maintenance and renovation work and to purchase equipment). This funding, which provided grants up to a maximum of €50,000, was available to private and community/ not-for-profit services.
The following table shows details of the funding provided to early years services in Co. Carlow since the establishment of this Department in 2011.
|
Childcare Facilities |
Carlow |
Capital Funding |
|
Childcare Capital Programme 2012 |
||
|
Sioga Beaga Creche and Montessori |
Castlemore, Tullow, Co. Carlow |
€7,000 |
|
Childcare Capital Programme 2013 |
||
|
The Trees Montessori |
Ballinacarrig, Carlow, Co. Carlow |
€2,248 |
|
Suantrai Montessori School |
Tinrylan, Co. Carlow |
€1,328 |
|
Cherish Childcare & Early Learning Centre |
Friars Green, Tullow Rd, Carlow |
€4,875 |
|
Cherish Childcare & Early Learning Centre |
Burrin Road, Carlow |
€4,200 |
|
Early Years Capital Programme 2015 |
||
|
Millview Montessori School |
Millview House, Kilgraney, Kilbride, Co. Carlow |
€500 |
|
Step-by-Step Montessori |
36 Oakley Park, Tullow Rd., Carlow |
€449 |
|
Kloyda Montessori School |
Urglin Centre, Rutland, Bennekerry, Co. Carlow |
€440 |
|
Suantraí Montessori School |
Amberley, Tinryland, Carlow |
€500 |
|
Tot's Corner Playgroup |
St. Fiacc's Leisure Centre, Leighlin Rd., Graiguecullen, Carlow |
€489 |
|
Jigsaw Childcare |
34 Highfield, Carlow |
€500 |
|
Dolmen Nursery |
6 Dolmen Gardens, Hacketstown Rd., Carlow |
€500 |
|
Jolly Tots Creche |
Ballycarney, Green Rd., Carlow |
€500 |
|
St. Molings Montessori School |
Dranagh, St. Mullins, Carlow |
€500 |
|
Scallywags Creche |
Woodglade, Fenagh, Carlow |
€481 |
|
Brownshill Creche, Montessori & Afterschool |
Link Road, Brownshill, Carlow |
€500 |
|
Absolute Beginners Creche & Montessori |
Rathsillan, Carlow Rd., Tullow, Co. Carlow |
€500 |
|
Sioga Beaga Creche & Montessori |
Castlemore, Tullow, Co. Carlow |
€500 |
|
Tippy Toes Montessori |
St. Anthonys, Green Lane, Rathnapish, Carlow |
€500 |
|
Cherish Childcare |
Friars Green, Tullow Rd, Carlow |
€500 |
|
Little Stars Childcare |
Quinagh, Blackbog Road, Carlow |
€449 |
|
The Creative Kids |
Askea Business Park, O'Brien Road, Carlow |
€500 |
|
Creative Kids |
Liddiard House, Old Burrin Road, Carlow |
€500 |
700. Deputy Pat Deering asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs his plans to address the issue of child care costs in the upcoming budget in view of Ireland having one of the highest child care costs in Europe. [30941/15]
View answerFunding of more than a quarter of a billion euro is provided annually by my Department towards childcare. All childcare programmes supported by my Department currently provide funding directly to childcare providers, either in the form of capitation or subvention payments. This kind of funding mechanism provides the leverage to progressively build the quality of childcare provision, while at the same time making childcare more affordable.
To deliver the free preschool year under the Early Childhood Care and Education programme, a standard capitation fee of €62.50 per week per eligible child is paid to participating services. To incentivise higher quality, a higher capitation fee of €73 per week is paid per eligible child to services with more highly qualified staff. Parents who qualify for support under this programme can have their annual childcare costs reduced by as much as €2,774 for each qualifying child.
The Community Childcare Subvention programme provides funding to community childcare services to support disadvantaged or low income families, and in the case of full day care, parents can have their weekly childcare costs reduced by up to €95 per week for each qualifying child.
Further childcare support is provided under a number of programmes which support parents returning to the workforce or availing of education or training opportunities. These include the:
1. Childcare Education and Training Supports programme for parents availing of training and education courses;
2. Community Employment Childcare programme for parents in Community Employment schemes; and
3. After-School Childcare programme for after-school care.
For these three programmes, the maximum contribution a parent makes to the cost of childcare is capped at €15 per week for part-time and after-school care and €25 per week in the case of full-day care.
I recognise the difficulties being faced by both childcare providers and parents and I am looking at the question of appropriate supports for child care in the wider context. The Inter-Departmental Group on Future Investment in Early Years and After-School Care and Education, which I established in February this year, has set out a range of options for current and future investment, including options to enhance affordability, options to increase the accessibility of provision and options to build the quality of provision of early years and school age care and education.
I published the report of the Inter-Departmental Group on 22 July to facilitate a further debate within the sector and among parents generally about the value of and priority that should be attached to the various options for further investment, which were set out in the report. I will have specific proposals to make in the context of the Estimates process for Budget 2016.
701. Deputy Pat Deering asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs his plans to address the issue of inequality between community and private child care facilities in the forthcoming budget. [30942/15]
View answerThe State promoted the development of the childcare infrastructure by means of considerable capital investment in the period between 1998 and 2008 during which approximately €425 million was invested in the provision of quality childcare services. This investment was provided to address the increasing demand for childcare services resulting from the rapid expansion of the Irish economy and the increased participation of women in the workforce. The majority of this investment was provided to the community/not-for-profit childcare sector with the emphasis on ensuring that parents in disadvantaged communities that were not served by private childcare providers had access to quality and affordable childcare services.
To ensure that these childcare facilities, some of which have been providing services now for almost twenty years, are in a position to continue to deliver quality childcare services, it is necessary that the infrastructure is satisfactorily maintained. It is for this reason that the greater portion of recent capital funding has been directed to community/ not-for-profit childcare services.
The Community Childcare Subvention (CCS) programme is implemented by this Department with funding provided to community/ not-for-profit childcare services to enable them to provide childcare at reduced rates to low income and disadvantaged families. In excess of €40 million is provided annually by my Department to support the CCS programme and this enables the parents of some 25,000 children to avail of affordable childcare. In the region of 900 community/not-for-profit childcare services participate in the CCS programme and they qualify for funding on the basis of the level of service they provide and the profile of the parents benefiting from their service. Private childcare services are currently not eligible to participate in this programme.
In the region of €260 million is provided annually by my Department to support a range of childcare support programmes. Almost €220 million of this funding is available to childcare providers, both community/ not-for-profit and private, with for example more than 3,000 private childcare providers participating in the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme which has annual funding of more than €170 million.
The recent Report of the Inter-Departmental Group on Future Investment, which I established earlier this year, sets out a range of options for future investment to enhance affordability, increase the accessibility and improve the quality of early years, after-school and out-of-school childcare, including the development of a new childcare subvention system to amalgamate existing targeted programme. Under this new system, all targeted childcare programmes would be open to both community/not-for-profit and private childcare providers. The options in this Report are being considered as part of the Estimates Process for 2016.
702. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if his Department will identify a new funding stream to provide small annual funding to Bethany support groups as a result of Tusla's discontinuation of previous funding (details supplied) to facilitate these groups to continue their valuable work within communities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30975/15]
View answerSince its establishment, Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, has been engaged in a comprehensive and much needed programme of reform across our child welfare and protection system. In this regard, Tusla must ensure that it makes the most effective use of its resources in a manner that is sustainable.
Tusla's budget is directed towards services which are best aligned to those outcomes in its Corporate Plan, with priority being given to front line services.
The service referred to by the Deputy was in receipt of funding from Tusla but unfortunately, Tusla has advised that it is not in a position to continue to fund this service.
My Department is not in a position to identify a new funding stream for Bethany Support Groups. However, the position will be kept under review.
703. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the analysis conducted in relation to the impact of requiring young persons to leave their foster care placements upon reaching 18 years of age; his plans to amend the scheme, given that most young persons of that age require ongoing support from their families; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30979/15]
View answerIt is now widely accepted that young people leaving State care face a unique set of challenges and present, in some instances, with particular vulnerabilities. It is this recognition that underpins both the current aftercare provision as well as the forthcoming Aftercare Bill. Such awareness has been due to analyses of a range of reports, both State sanctioned and from a range of advocates for young people in and leaving care, and also as a result of my own Department’s direct communication and research undertaken with young people in State care.
Aftercare is a term used to describe the planning and support put in place to meet the needs of a young person who is leaving statutory care at 18 years of age, to assist him/her in making the transition to independent living. It is essential that all young people leaving care are provided with the type of transitional support that their individual situation requires. Aftercare is available to all those eligible irrespective of which care sector they have been in i.e. foster care or residential care.
The Child Care Act 1991 provides that the core eligible age range for aftercare is from 18 years up to 21 years. This can be extended until the completion of a course of education and training in which a young person who has left care, or is leaving care, is engaged, up to the age of 23 years.
Section 45 of the Child Care Act 1991 provides that the Child and Family Agency may assist a child leaving its care if it is satisfied that the person has a “need for assistance”. The provisions have been interpreted and applied on the basis that young people who have had a care history with the Agency are entitled to an assessment of need, from which an aftercare plan may be prepared and an aftercare service may be offered (based on the assessed needs).
Current aftercare provision incorporates advice, guidance and practical (including accommodation and financial) support. Advocating on behalf of young people to support their development as fulfilled adults in their community and, when necessary, to link them to targeted adult services, are also crucial elements of an aftercare service.
Between 450 and 500 young people leave care annually upon turning 18. According to Tusla - the Child and Family Agency, at the end of March, 2015, there were 1,720 young people aged 18 to 22 years inclusive in receipt of an aftercare service. Of those, 1,012 (59%) were in full time education.
A significant number of these young people are supported financially to remain living with their foster carers, in addition to having access to an aftercare worker. The most vulnerable group of young people are those leaving residential care or short term foster care placements. Children, who come into care late, in their mid to late teens, may not have developed the relationships with staff or aftercare workers that help them achieve good outcomes.
Young people who do not have family support from a foster carer or family base are assisted in finding accommodation in supported lodgings, sheltered housing or independent accommodation and encouraged and supported financially in furthering their training and education.
Furthermore, as the Deputy is aware, it has been decided to strengthen the legislative provisions regarding aftercare. This is in response to concerns that there was insufficient focus in this area and that such planning was not taking place on a properly structured and consistent basis. The approach adopted is to impose a statutory duty on the Child and Family Agency to prepare an aftercare plan for an eligible child or eligible young person. The aim is to create an explicit, as opposed to implicit, statement of the Agency’s duty to satisfy itself as to the child’s or young person’s need for assistance by preparing a plan that identifies those needs for aftercare supports.
It is anticipated that the Aftercare Bill will be published shortly.
704. Deputy Joanna Tuffy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the steps he has taken to address the issues identified in the HIQA report on the Ballydowd special care unit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31284/15]
View answerThe Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) carried out an unannounced inspection of Ballydowd Special Care Unit on 10 and 15 July 2015 following a concern relating to the practice of single separation. The Inspection Report was published on 31 August 2015. In Ballydowd Special Care Unit, single separation means the removal of a child to a separate locked room for as short a period as possible during times of challenging behaviour which poses a significant risk to themselves or others.
The inspection report indicated that decisions to initiate single separation generally complied with national guidance and that children's Guardians ad Litem and social workers were informed when they took place. However, it found that the practice was used for excessive lengths of time in a small number of cases, record keeping and notification to senior management was inadequate and there was a poor response to complaints made by children regarding the events.
Following on from the inspection HIQA requested an immediate review of single separation that lasted for excessive periods of time. The outcome of the review led to an improvement in authorisation of single separation to ensure it is for the shortest time necessary and also enhanced recording and information sharing. Incidents of single separation that are longer than three hours are to be escalated to senior management and improvements have also been put in place to have single separation in Special Care reviewed as part of the national significant event notification system.
Restrictive practices and children's rights has been placed as a standing item for Tusla Managers. Significant issues are also to be reviewed with a focus on rights. An action plan, approved by HIQA, to address the standards identified as requiring improvement and at significant risk was published with the report. It noted that the majority of the actions had been implemented at the time of publication. The remainder were due to be completed by the end of Q4 2015.
I am conscious that some of these children have very serious emotional and behavioural issues that can manifest themselves in the most challenging of behaviours. I believe that overall staff endeavour to provide the best possible care.
705. Deputy Joe Costello asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he will provide details of the psychotherapeutic services that are available in Dublin Central for vulnerable children who are in the care of the State; the psychotherapeutic services available in the whole of Ireland for vulnerable children in the care of the State; his plans for further provision of psychotherapeutic services for vulnerable children; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31405/15]
View answerTusla, the Child and Family Agency, in discharging its functions, is placing 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.
Tusla has specific responsibility for psychology services for children as set out in Section 8 of the Child and Family Agency Act, 2013. These services for children are currently being provided by arrangement with the HSE.
Tusla plans to engage with the HSE to develop a Service Level Agreement (SLA) to underpin the provision of psychological services by the HSE which will assist the Agency in fulfilling its statutory obligations. The SLA will determine the quantum of service needed to meet the Agency's requirements.
Children in the care of the State also require access on occasion to publicly funded child and adolescent mental health teams and primary care psychology services provided for every child in the State by the Health Service Executive. Additionally, access can be required to HSE services commissioned by social work departments involving the provision of psychotherapeutic supports.
Furthermore, clinical psychology services are directly provided by the Child and Family Agency within multi-disciplinary teams deployed by the Assessment, Consultation and Therapy Service (ACTS). Services provided include assessment and focused interventions for children and young people with complex clinical needs and high risk behaviours. The service also provides support to other professionals in order to guide interventions to children and families.
The aim of ACTS is to facilitate the provision of more therapeutic environments in the national Special Care Units and Children Detention Schools and to work in partnership with others to improve outcomes for the most vulnerable young people in Ireland.
706. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs further to Parliamentary Question No. 136 of 8 July 2015, while the development of a protocol by Tusla in relation to the Vienna Convention is welcomed, given the lack of information available on the nationality of the young persons in the care of the State makes it impossible to measure the success of these initiatives, if he will advise Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, that this information should be collected and reported on; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31459/15]
View answerI have been advised by Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, that work has commenced in ensuring there are robust systems supporting Tusla's practices in relation to the Vienna Convention. Part of this work included reviewing current policies and establishing national structures to support this work. The protocol has been agreed and is in operation.
Tusla has also advised me that a national register will be established which will capture the nationality of young people coming to the attention of Tusla in relation to the Vienna Convention and will be recorded on standardised forms.
As this work is on-going and systems are in development, it is anticipated that Tusla will begin collating this data early in 2016.
707. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he will provide a detailed breakdown of the person who received funding under strand 1 of the early years capital funding 2015; and the criteria they met to be eligible for the funding. [31508/15]
View answerA total of €7 million was provided under the Early Years Capital Programme in 2015. Under this Programme, applications were invited from all early years services contracted to deliver the Department of Children and Youth Affairs childcare programmes. All applications submitted under the following strands were evaluated by Pobal, who administers the Programme on behalf of my Department:
|
Strand |
Purpose |
Eligibility |
Grant amount |
Funding available |
|
1 |
Significant upgrade (refurbishment or purchase/lease new premises) |
Open to community/ not-for-profit only |
Region of €200,000 - €600,000 |
€5,000,000 |
|
2 |
Essential maintenance |
Open to community/ not-for-profit only |
Up to €50,000 |
|
|
3 |
Improve energy performance to improve sustainability |
Open to community/ not-for-profit only |
Up to €50,000 |
|
|
4 |
Improve quality |
Open to community/ not-for-profit and private services |
Up to €500 |
€2,000,000 |
Under the criteria of the Programme, projects must be completed, and grant funds fully reported, by December 2015. As such, the “readiness” of a project to proceed, and be completed within the timeframe, was a major consideration when Pobal was reviewing the applications. Applicants that could best demonstrate “readiness” were those that:
a) had obtained full planning permission, or could demonstrate that planning was not required;
b) had completed an appropriate tendering process where tenders were still in date and valid; and,
c) had confirmation that the project could be completed within the timeframe available.
Applications that were successful were those that represented the most complete, coherent, precise and compelling cases for funding. The investment is being directed, to the best extent possible, to making the greatest impact by addressing the most urgent works and supporting the quality of services making the greatest impact for disadvantaged children and communities.
I would like to inform the Deputy that details of the funding allocated under the Early Years Capital Programme in 2015, including the information requested by him, is available on www.dcya.gov.ie and www.pobal.ie.
The following table gives details of funding allocated under Strand 1 of the Programme.
|
- |
- |
Funding |
|
Rathoe Community Afterschool Group Limited |
Rathoe, Co. Carlow |
€ 306,450 |
|
Newtowncunningham Community Playgroup Limited |
Newtowncunningham Business Park, Monfad Rd, Newtowncunningham, Co. Donegal |
€ 260,557 |
|
Basic Child Care Centre Limited |
New Retail Park, Station Road, Bundoran, Co. Donegal |
€ 225,000 |
|
Dublin West Childcare and Learning Services Company Limited |
St. Ronan's Community Centre, St. Cuthberts Road, Deansrath, Dublin 22 |
€ 250,000 |
|
Finglas Childcare Limited |
1a/2a/3a Church Street, Finglas, Dublin 11 |
€ 585,000 |
|
Caltra Community Playgroup Limited |
Caltra, Ballinasloe, Co. Galway |
€ 199,554 |
|
Tullaghan Community Playgroup Limited |
1 Carberry Coast, Tullaghan, Co. Leitrim |
€ 83,000 |
|
Rathkeale Community Childcare Limited |
Well Lane, Rathkeale, Co. Limerick |
€ 415,713 |
|
K.P. Childcare Limited |
The Community Centre, Irishtown, Claremorris, Co. Mayo |
€ 369,042 |
|
Rockcorry Community Childcare Services Limited |
Boyher, Rockcorry, Co. Monaghan |
€ 86,000 |
|
€ 2,780,316 |
709. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he will provide details of all the funding his Department has provided to a company (details supplied) in County Kerry since its inception; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31619/15]
View answerMy Department has not provided funds to the company mentioned by the Deputy.
