Written Answers Nos. 1-29
11. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the early education supports available to children diagnosed with autism; and the reason these children cannot avail of early education through the early childhood care and education scheme, in conjunction with one-to-one home schooling by a home tutor. [35531/15]
View answerI am committed to ensuring that all children have the opportunity to participate in, and benefit from, the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme.
I have been conscious for some time of the difficulty experienced by some children with a disability in accessing and benefiting fully from the ECCE programme. With this in mind, my Department and the Departments of Education and Skills, and Health worked together with their respective agencies to develop and cost a new model of ECCE supports for children with a disability. My Department led the process, with full and active support from the other two sectors.
I was very pleased to announce, as part of Budget 2016, the necessary funding to implement the model proposed by the Group. The new model will bring supports including enhanced continuing professional development for early years practitioners; grants for equipment, appliances and minor alterations; and access to therapeutic intervention. I have provided funding of €15m to phase these supports in during 2016. Full year costs for these supports are estimated to be €33m from 2017 onwards.
I believe that the work of this Group has identified a practical, workable model for meeting the needs of children with a disability, so as to maximise their potential for benefiting from the ECCE programme. The allocation of €15m funding is clear evidence of the Government's commitment to supporting vulnerable children.
12. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the amount of State funding that has been provided to the Cuan Álainn women's refuge in Tallaght in Dublin 24 in each of the past five years; his views on the funding of women's refuges and assistance to women and children leaving domestic violence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36212/15]
View answerTusla, the Child and Family Agency, is the statutory body with responsibility for providing effective responses to victims of domestic violence and sexual violence. At all times, Tusla's key priority is to ensure that the needs of victims of domestic violence and sexual violence are being met in the best way possible. For this reason, the 2015 budget is being directed towards front-line services and ensuring that no potential service user is disadvantaged because of geography.
For the first time, domestic and sexual violence services are being developed as a specialist national service with a single line of accountability and a dedicated national budget of €19.5m in 2015.
Current Tusla funding for domestic violence services is allocated to emergency refuge accommodation, prevention and community-based domestic violence supports.
The Cuan Álainn Centre opened in 2012 and is funded by Respond. The Centre provides accommodation for a range of clients some of whom may have been in emergency accommodation provided by domestic violence refuges. Tusla does not fund the Centre and I am not aware of previous State funding being provided to support the Centre, which was established independently of the State.
The Cuan Álainn facility does not operate as a front line emergency domestic violence service. It provides 'step down' or 'transitional' accommodation to support a transition into a permanent settled home. This can include survivors of domestic violence who are transitioning from emergency services to a new, permanent home.
Officials from my Department and Tusla recently met with Respond, at its request, to discuss the situation in Cuan Álainn Centre. The Department sought additional information from Respond, including information in relation to its overall financial position. The most recent information provided indicates that Respond, which is made up of two companies, is in good overall financial health.
I hope that the matter can be satisfactorily resolved, by allowing sufficient time for all avenues to be explored by the relevant parties. This will need to include discussion with other parties, including the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government as it would appear that these families have pressing housing needs.
I know that Cuan Álainn provides very important services, and I am anxious to do what I can to resolve the issue that has now arisen. With this in mind, I have agreed to meet Respond and I am hopeful that this meeting can be arranged shortly.
I would like to assure the Deputy that Tusla will continue to work closely with service providers to ensure that women and children fleeing domestic violence receive all necessary emergency support. The position in respect of the Cuan Álainn Centre is being kept under review.
13. Deputy Sandra McLellan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the provisions being made to ensure refugee children who enter Ireland in the coming months will be provided with the care they need upon arrival. [35506/15]
View answerMy colleague, the Minister for Justice and Equality, has primary responsibility in the area of asylum and immigration. Policy responsibility for such refugee children travelling with their parents, insofar as it extends to my Department, is in relation to providing care and protection for any children where their welfare and safety are identified as a concern.
Children, separated from their parents, who arrive in this jurisdiction and present seeking asylum, are placed in the care of the State. The majority of separated children are placed in foster care around the country. Tusla also has a dedicated Social Work team dealing with separated children seeking asylum. Separated children are a vulnerable cohort and the State is duty bound by international and domestic law to protect and provide for them in the same way as it does for children normally resident in the State.
Each separated child is allocated a social worker, who is responsible for the development and implementation of an individualised statutory care plan for the child. Tusla maintains the equity and equality of services to separated children vis a vis other children in state care and ensures that there is no differentiation of standard care provision, care practices, care priorities, standards or protocols. All foster care organisations and residential centres are inspected against national standards.
The Direct Provision system is also under the policy remit of my colleague, the Minister for Justice and Equality. Children living in Direct Provision are in the care of their parent(s). However, any concerns about the welfare, safety or well-being of a child in Direct Provision are reported to Tusla, in line with Children First guidelines. Tusla has been working closely with the Reception and Integration Agency (RIA) of the Department of Justice and Equality, which has responsibility for accommodation in the direct provision system and on information sharing protocols.
With regard to the welfare of children in Direct Provision centres, I have been advised by my colleague, the Minister for Justice and Equality, that there are a range of supports available to families resident within the centres including services provided by the Department of Education and Skills, the Department of Social Protection and the Department of Health.
14. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs for an update on negotiations with Russian officials regarding a bilateral agreement which could allow Irish couples to adopt Russian children; if he will provide resources to conclude these negotiations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35518/15]
View answerAt the outset I wish to clarify that work on a bilateral agreement with the Russian Federation has not ceased. It remains the aim of my Department to achieve a bilateral agreement, but I do not believe this will be possible to finalise it in the short term because of a number of difficult issues outstanding.
I recently met with the Russian Irish Adoption Group. I am conscious that members of the Group have adopted Russian children in the past, prior to the current arrangements, and many seek to adopt another child from Russia. The Russian Irish Adoption Group gave a powerful presentation of the sensitivities involved. I am of the view that it is essential to give clear, frank information about the likely time scale potentially involved in trying to secure an agreement with the Russian Federation, in order to allow fully informed decision making. I advised the Group of the current position regarding the bilateral and I outlined to them the issues that still remain despite our continuing efforts.
The Adoption Act 2010 provides for adoption of children into Ireland from countries that have signed and ratified the Hague Convention and from countries where a bilateral agreement on adoption is in place. The Hague Convention is a landmark in regard to inter-country adoption and provides an international architecture that prioritises the best interests of children.
While it has signed the Convention, the Russian Federation has not ratified the treaty. This has prevented recent adoptions from Russia into Ireland. We have been trying to reach a bilateral agreement with the Russian Federation on inter-country adoption for a number of years. Significant issues remain in the way of an agreement. For example the Irish Constitution is very clear on the integrity of the family unit and the Russian requirement for post placement reports on adopted children poses a difficulty in this regard. Other practical issues include the accreditation of adoption mediation agencies to facilitate inter country adoption between Ireland and Russia, the issue of fees to be charged by agencies for facilitating adoptions, and matters relating to re-adoption in cases where an earlier placement has broken down. We will continue to pursue the matter and the try to resolve the difficulties arising.
In the meantime I will seek to progress very important improvements in the Irish adoption services, including the draft legislation for Adoption Information and Tracing which is currently undergoing pre legislative scrutiny by the Joint Committee on Health and Children. This is an important piece of legislation affecting all adoptions past and future. We are also working on the Adoption (Amendment) Bill which incorporates amendments required to the Adoption Act 2010 arising from recent referendums including the Children's Referendum. The Bill will include other important changes including provision for step parent adoption.
15. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he will address the concerns of the Irish Network of Foster Carers, INFC, relating to the decision by Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, to proceed with a new child aftercare policy which will, according to the INFC, increase the displacement of vulnerable young adults into homeless services; if he will address the crisis in understaffing in this area, given that, according to the INFC, north Tipperary alone is currently experiencing child care team understaffing levels of up to 66%; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35328/15]
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.
In 2012, an implementation plan was developed by Tusla setting out a work plan in order to ensure full compliance with their Leaving and Aftercare Policy. New practices have been introduced, for example the establishment of local steering groups, the development of dedicated aftercare teams, and the standardised aftercare allowance.
Each care leaver, as part of their leaving and aftercare planning, will have an Individual Financial Support Plan. This will form part of an assessment of need which takes account of all sources of financial support from all Government Departments and statutory Agencies. Tusla has introduced a Standardised National Aftercare Allowance of €300 for all care leavers engaged in training and education. The introduction of this allowance has meant that young people who remain in their foster care placement and young people who live independently and in training, education or employment are now receiving the same financial support from Tusla. Many young people in independent living have benefited from an increase in their allowance as a result of this measure.
The system of aftercare supports provided to the young person will be based on their assessed needs. Advice, guidance, support and signposting are key elements of the supports available to 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.
To address the Deputy's concerns about the understaffing situation in the North Tipperary area, recent reports compiled by Tusla show that in the Mid-West region, that encompasses North Tipperary, there were 113.6 whole time equivalent social workers. At the end of June, there were also 12 social work posts in the process of being filled in the Mid-West area.
I have asked Tusla to provide the Deputy directly with information about the staff complement including aftercare workers in the North Tipperary Area. I have, as you may know, secured €38 million in additional funding for Tusla that will see the expansion of the social worker and associated staff complement across the organisation.
16. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the measures that were introduced in budget 2016 to tackle some of the issues many parents face with child care, particularly in relation to the financial burden; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35417/15]
View answerPrior to Budget 2016, my Department provided funding of more than a quarter of a billion euro annually to support the implementation of a number of childcare support programmes that assist parents in accessing quality childcare. This funding, which is in addition to the direct support provided to all parents in the form of Child Benefit, supports more than 100,000 children each year. The childcare programmes include the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme, the Community Childcare Subvention (CCS) programme which provides funding to community childcare services to support disadvantaged or low income families, and a number of programmes that support parents returning to work or availing of education or training opportunities.
In Budget 2016, I announced an €85 million package of additional investment for childcare. This includes funding for:
- An extension to the ECCE programme from September 2016 so that children can enrol in the ECCE programme at age three and continue in the programme until they make the transition to primary school. This will reduce childcare costs by an additional €1,500 and will increase the current 38 weeks of free pre-school provision by an average of 23 weeks, and up to 61 weeks depending on the child's date of birth and the age at which they subsequently start primary school.
- A suite of supports to help children with a disability to participate fully in the ECCE programme. This delivers on my commitment to address these children's particular needs in mainstream pre-school settings.
- 8,000 extra places in 2016 under the CCS programme to help low income and disadvantaged families access quality childcare. These 8,000 places are in addition to a further 5,000 CCS places I announced recently with savings achieved in 2015.
- A range of measures to improve the quality of early years and school-aged childcare, including an audit of quality; an extended Learner Fund to support professionalisation of the sector; and an enhanced inspection regime.
The additional funding announced as part of Budget 2016 will also provide for a range of measures to improve the provision of after-school childcare, including a once-off minor capital fund to develop after-school services using existing school (and other community) facilities in conjunction with both community/not-for-profit and private providers.
17. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the action he will take to ensure the vital services of a refuge (details supplied) in Dublin 24 are not closed before Christmas 2015; what he will do to prevent this service from closing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35331/15]
View answerThe Cuan Álainn Centre was established independently of the State. It opened in 2012 and is funded by Respond. The Cuan Álainn centre provides accommodation for a range of clients, some of whom may have been in emergency accommodation provided by domestic violence refuges.
Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, allocates available funding for domestic violence to emergency refuge accommodation services and community-based domestic violence supports.
The Cuan Álainn facility does not operate as a front line emergency domestic violence service. In fact, it provides 'step down' or 'transitional' accommodation to support a transition into a permanent settled home. This can include survivors of domestic violence who are making the transition from emergency services to a new, permanent home.
Officials from my Department and Tusla recently met with Respond, at its request, to discuss the situation in Cuan Álainn Centre. The Department sought additional information from Respond, including information in relation to its overall financial position. The most recent information provided indicates that Respond, which is made up of two companies, is in good overall financial health.
I hope that the matter can be satisfactorily resolved, by allowing sufficient time for all avenues to be explored by the relevant parties. This will need to include discussion with other parties, including the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government as it would appear that these families have pressing housing needs.
I know that Cuan Álainn provides very important services, and I am anxious to do what I can to resolve the issue that has now arisen. With this in mind, I have agreed to meet Respond and I am hopeful that this meeting can be arranged shortly.
Tusla will continue to work closely with service providers to ensure that women and children fleeing domestic violence receive all necessary emergency support.
18. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if his Department has analysed the impact homelessness has on school attendance, the education of pupils and the life of schools; his plans to address these matters; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36427/15]
View answerTusla, the Child and Family Agency has a general function to ensure that each child attends a recognised school or otherwise receives a certain minimum education. The statutory Educational Welfare Service of Tusla has a key role to respond to instances where children are not attending school regularly or where there is a concern about a child's educational welfare.
Children whose families are homeless or who are living in temporary accommodation which is a distance from their school are a concern because they may encounter attendance difficulties which can impact on their participation in education and school life.
Tusla is working closely with the homeless agencies to ensure that services working with homeless families know how to access educational support where difficulties arise with a child's participation in school. New information material on the supports available and how to access them is being developed for distribution to the services. Tusla has been in contact with schools that operate the school completion programme to emphasise the importance of identifying and supporting children whose families are homeless. Parents are being encouraged to share with schools their family circumstances in order that support may be provided to them. Schools have been asked to provide details of their inputs in situations where children need additional support with attendance matters and engagement in the life of the school. Tusla will then conduct an analysis of information provided by the schools with a view to working closely with them on a coordinated approach to respond to children's needs.
Tusla has assigned an additional Educational Welfare Officer to assist schools where a number of homeless children are presenting in the Dublin region. Tusla's aim is to provide an integrated response to support children and their families, to prevent attendance difficulties arising, ensure that children continue to participate in education and that they continue to be involved with their school community.
19. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs how he is dealing with the deteriorating safety situation at Oberstown Youth Detention Centre, where staff and children in care have been put at risk, with numerous physical assaults in recent months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35530/15]
View answerA reform programme has been implemented in recent years on the Oberstown campus to provide improved facilities, in order to accommodate older children under the Government commitment to end the practice of detaining children in adult prison facilities. Given the scale of the reform programme, there is a need for sufficient planning and preparation and continued management and staff engagement in order to ensure that campus operates successfully into the future.
The Deputy will appreciate that the operational environment in the children detention schools alters on a daily and weekly basis, depending on the individual risk profile of each child, the implementation of good care practices and the deployment of staffing resources to best meet operational needs. There is need to manage the risk of injury to staff and children with the aim of ensuring safe and secure custody and a safe work environment. All assaults and injuries to staff or children are of great concern. Unfortunately, the risk of injury cannot be excluded completely, given the nature of a children detention school. There is a requirement on all staff and managers to record any such incident under a “notifiable incident policy” which has been adopted on the campus. Injuries to staff can happen in a number of ways. A young person may with intent assault a member of staff. In addition, staff may get hurt in the course of managing a child's behaviour, when involved in approved activities with children or through other issues arising on campus with no involvement of children.
An assault/injury leave scheme is in place which reflects the risk of injury. This is available to all staff in addition to the public service sick leave scheme. A specific “secure unit allowance” is also paid in recognition of the fact that staff are working in a challenging environment.
Staff are trained in how to respond to situations and there is an emphasis on providing all necessary supports when a member of staff is injured. However, the trend of such incidents, the level of supports available and the lessons from each incident are kept under ongoing review and discussed with staff representatives. The task of providing a child detention service will always be a challenging one but my policy priority will continue to be ensuring safe and secure custody for children and a positive work climate for staff on the Oberstown campus.
20. Deputy David Stanton asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs further to Parliamentary Question No. 11 of 8 July 2015, if the new national youth strategy has been finalised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36215/15]
View answerI was delighted to publish Ireland's first National Youth Strategy 2015 - 2020 on 8th October 2015 at the Bluebell Youth and Community Project in Dublin 12.
The National Youth Strategy sets out Government's aim and objectives for young people, aged 10 to 24 years, so that they can 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 is a universal strategy for all young people. It has a particular focus on the needs of young people at risk of experiencing the poorest outcomes.
The Strategy identifies some fifty priority actions to be delivered by Government departments, state agencies and by others, including the voluntary youth services over 2015 to 2017. They include actions to address issues which are a high priority for young people themselves, such as access to online youth mental health services, a National Obesity Policy and Action Plan, opportunities for those young people furthest from the labour market and youth entrepreneurship initiatives and rolling out the National Strategy on Children and Young People's Participation in Decision-making (2015).
As a first step in delivering the Nation Youth Strategy, my Department has introduced a new Youth Employability Initiative which will provide €600,000 in grants to the voluntary youth services for programme that target disadvantaged young people to improve their employability.
My Department will lead the implementation of the new National Youth Strategy and progress will be monitored through the structures put in place under Better Outcomes, Brighter Futures.
21. Deputy Mary Mitchell O'Connor asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs his plans for after-school child care, following the findings of the interdepartmental group's report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35323/15]
View answerI established the Inter-Departmental Group earlier this year to consider options for future investment in early years and after-school childcare. This Group reported to Government in July this year, setting out a range of options for future investment to enhance affordability, increase the accessibility and improve the quality of early years and after-school childcare. Several recommendations of the Group, which relate to after-school childcare, were considered as part of the Estimate process for the Budget and will be funded in 2016.
These include a €3 million capital fund, which will be provided to enable both community/not-for-profit and private providers to develop after-school childcare services using existing school and other accessible community facilities. Work will also begin on the development of Quality Standards for After-School Childcare, along with a consultation with children on their views about after-school childcare.
These new developments add to the range of programmes implemented by my Department to assist parents in accessing quality and affordable after-school childcare. These include:
- The After-School Childcare (ASCC) programme that provides after-school care for primary school children of eligible parents for a period of 52 weeks. Eligibility for the programme is determined by the Department of Social Protection. The programme contributes €40 per week for an after-school place or €80 per week in situations where the childcare service provides a pick-up service that collects the child from school. The programme also provides a full day care rate of €105 per week, for a maximum of 10 weeks, to cater for school holiday periods. In all cases, the maximum fee payable by parents is €15 per week per child.
- The Community Employment Childcare (CEC) programme, which is targeted specifically at participants in the Community Employment (CE) schemes operated by the Department of Social Protection. Under this programme, €80 per week is provided for pre-school places for children up to the age of 5 and €40 per week for after-school places for primary school children up to the age of 13, with a set charge of €15 per week to the parent in either case. The programme also provides a part time day care rate of €80 per week, for a maximum of 10 weeks, to cater for school holiday periods. Places are approved for 50 weeks. Eligibility for the CEC programme is determined by the Department of Social Protection.
- The Childcare Education and Training Support (CETS) programme, which provides childcare places, including part-time and after-school places, to qualifying Solas or Education and Training Boards (ETB) trainees or students for the duration of their courses. Eligibility for the CETS programme is determined by the Department of Education and Skills. The Community Childcare Subvention (CCS) programme provides funding to community childcare services to enable them to provide quality childcare, including after-school care, at reduced rates to disadvantaged and low income working parents.
22. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the measures his Department has taken to ensure that the Cuan Álainn women's refuge in Tallaght in Dublin 24 does not close down due to lack of funds; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36213/15]
View answerIt is my understanding that the Cuan Álainn Centre was established independently of the State. It opened in 2012 and is funded by Respond. The Cuan Álainn centre provides accommodation for a range of clients some of whom may have been in emergency accommodation provided by domestic violence refuges.
Tusla, the Child and Family Agency allocates available funding for domestic violence to emergency refuge accommodation services and community-based domestic violence supports.
I am advised that the Cuan Álainn facility does not operate as a front line emergency domestic violence service, rather it provides 'step down' or 'transitional' accommodation to support a transition into a permanent settled home. This can include survivors of domestic violence who are transitioning from emergency services to a new, permanent home.
Officials from my Department and Tusla recently met with Respond, at its request, to discuss the situation in Cuan Álainn Centre. The Department sought additional information from Respond, including information in relation to the housing association's overall financial position. The most recent information provided indicates that Respond, which is made up of two companies, is in good overall financial health.
I hope that the matter can be satisfactorily resolved, by allowing sufficient time for all avenues to be explored by the relevant parties. This will need to include discussion with other parties, including the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government as it would appear that these families have pressing housing needs.
In this regard, I have agreed to meet Respond and I am hopeful that this meeting can be arranged shortly.
Tusla will continue to work closely with service providers to ensure that women and children fleeing domestic violence receive all necessary emergency support. The position in respect of the Cuan Álainn Centre is being kept under review.
23. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs his plans to publish revised child care regulations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35527/15]
View answerEarly years services are currently subject to the Child Care (Pre-School Services)(No 2) Regulations 2006. To provide for the implementation of the legislative changes to the Child Care Act 1991, which were enacted through the Child and Family Agency Act 2013, it was necessary to carry out a root and branch re-examination of the 2006 Regulations, including a re-structuring of the Regulations in line with the latest drafting practices. This exercise has proved to be more time-consuming than originally envisaged, but I hope to be in a position to publish the new Regulations shortly.
24. Deputy Helen McEntee asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he will update Dáil Éireann on his Department’s engagement with plans for a nationwide scheme to provide preschool assistance for children with special needs, ensuring equal access for these children to the early childhood care and education scheme; if he will acknowledge the excellent work of a group (details supplied) in promoting the developmental and educational importance of such services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35335/15]
View answerI am committed to ensuring that all children have the opportunity to participate in, and benefit from, the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme.
I have been conscious for some time of the difficulty experienced by some children with a disability in accessing and benefiting fully from the ECCE programme. With this in mind, my Department and the Departments of Education and Skills, and Health worked together with their respective agencies to develop and cost a new model of ECCE supports for children with a disability. My Department led the process, with full and active support from the other two sectors.
I was very pleased to announce, as part of Budget 2016, the necessary funding to implement the model proposed by the Group. The new model will bring supports including enhanced continuing professional development for early years practitioners; grants for equipment, appliances and minor alterations; and access to therapeutic intervention. I have provided funding of €15m to phase these supports in during 2016. Full year costs for these supports are estimated to be €33m from 2017 onwards.
I believe that the work of this Group has identified a practical, workable model for meeting the needs of children with a disability, so as to maximise their potential for benefiting from the ECCE programme. The allocation of €15m funding is clear evidence of the Government's commitment to supporting vulnerable children.
25. Deputy Sandra McLellan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the efforts that are being made to fulfil the envisioned outcomes of the Better Outcomes, Brighter Future document produced by his Department in early 2014, following a meeting with the National Youth Council of Ireland last week. [35508/15]
View answerI was pleased to meet with the National Youth Council of Ireland (NYCI) on 29th September. The meeting took place to discuss NYCI's pre-budget submission, the National Youth Strategy, Peace Funding and the “Skills Summary” project.
NYCI provided tremendous support to my Department in the development and launch of the National Youth Strategy, and I would particularly like to thank its Director, Mary Cunningham, for her contribution and her efforts to ensure that the development of the Strategy was informed by those working closest with young people.
Better Outcomes, Brighter Futures: The National Policy Framework for Children and Young People (2014-2020) is the overarching national policy framework which comprehends the age ranges of children and young people from 0 – 24 years. It was launched by the Taoiseach, Tánaiste, and then Minister for Children and Youth Affairs in April 2014.
Better Outcomes, Brighter Futures sets out the five National Outcomes which we want to achieve for all of our children and young people. These are:
1. Active and healthy with physical and mental wellbeing
2. Achieving full potential in all areas of learning and development
3. Safe and protected from harm
4. Enjoying economic security and opportunity
5. Connected, respected and contributing to their world.
Better Outcomes, Brighter Futures sets out 163 key policy commitments which aim to achieve these outcomes. An implementation plan has been developed which contains the actions departments are undertaking under each of these commitments in 2014, 2015 and 2016, and the outcome expected by 2017, for mid-point review.
In order to achieve these outcomes, Better Outcomes, Brighter Futures provides for a robust implementation infrastructure to oversee implementation, including the Children and Young People's Policy Consortium, Sponsors Group, Implementation Team, and Advisory Council. These were all established in the first year of implementation.
Much of the progress made in the first year of implementation of Better Outcomes, Brighter Futures is contained in the Annual Report for the First Year of Implementation April 2014-2015, which is available on my Department's website.
26. Deputy Sandra McLellan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs for an update on the implementation of the national early years access initiative and the area-based childhood ABC programme. [35510/15]
View answerThe Area Based Childhood (ABC) Programme is an innovative prevention and early intervention initiative. The programme builds on the work of the Prevention and Early Intervention Programme 2007-2013.
The Area Based Childhood (ABC) Programme involves joint investment of my Department and The Atlantic Philanthropies of €29.7m in evidence-informed interventions to improve the long-term outcomes for children and families living in disadvantaged areas. It aims to improve outcomes for children through integrated and effective services and interventions in the areas of child development, child well-being, parenting and educational disadvantage.
The ABC Programme is time-bound and the co-funding arrangement between Government and The Atlantic Philanthropies is in place until 2017. The 13 sites of the ABC Programme are operational.
A key purpose of the ABC Programme is to identify the learning in and across the ABC sites and to transfer this learning into existing and established services. Adopting such a systems focus, rather than merely a site or geographic specific focus, is the intention so that we can ensure a greater reach and sustained impact in services across the country. What I want to ensure is that, rather than creating parallel provision, the learning from this programme informs the ongoing reform of established services and supports for children and young people. Mainstreaming the learning in this way will bring improvements, not only in specific areas, but across the wider system, thereby addressing all areas of disadvantage. A Task Group was also established to explore how best to mainstream the learning where programmes and activities have proven more effective than existing provision.
The ABC Programme is currently being evaluated under the guidance of an Expert Advisory Group. The evaluation adopts a shared measurement framework across all ABC programme sites. The evaluation will consider the implementation from both local and national perspectives. Crucially it will also focus on how the outcomes for children and families in Area Based Childhood areas have changed during the course of the programme. National interim reports will be provided from mid-2016. The final national evaluation reports will be produced in 2018.
This evaluation will be crucial in indicating the impact of the ABC Programme, and along with the work of the Task Group will be key in informing considerations regarding the mainstreaming of the learning from this programme.
National Early Years Access Initiative (NEYAI)
The National Early Years Access Initiative (NEYAI) was a collaborative partnership between The Atlantic Philanthropies, Mount Street Club Trust, the Department of Children and Youth Affairs, the Early Years Education Policy Unit (DES) and Pobal, who provided a Governance, management and administration role to the initiative.
The NEYAI aimed to improve quality and practice within early years services for children (0-6 years) and their families living in disadvantaged areas. It did this through interagency collaboration and by developing innovative community-based models to respond to local needs. NEYAI worked across a number of thematic areas with a strong focus on Síolta - the National Quality Framework for Early Childhood Education (CECDC, 2006) and Aistear - the Early Childhood Curriculum Framework (NCCA, 2009). Both of these are seen as fundamental to the growth and development of quality in the provision of early years care and education.
NEYAI ran from 2011 to 2014. Following completion of this programme, the findings from the evaluation were shared at a national dissemination conference in May 2014 and findings from local-level evaluation were explored there also and at local events.
Such findings, along with those derived from other initiatives and evaluations, will inform the work of my Department in the development of the National Early Years Strategy which is currently being advanced.
27. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, has warned the Government, in an unpublished briefing document, of serious risks to children in child protection services due to pressure placed on underfunded services, as outlined by Raidió Teilifís Éireann (details supplied); and the action he is taking to respond to this underfunding. [35532/15]
View answerEarlier this year I requested Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, to undertake a national audit in order to quantify and verify the number of cases awaiting allocation to a social worker. The findings of the audit were recently brought to the attention of my colleagues at Cabinet Sub-Committee level and were also the subject of particular discussion with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform over recent months.
The resolution of this issue has been a key focus of my attention. Unallocated child welfare and protection cases represent a quantifiable symptom of the demands on Tusla.
As of July 2015, there were a total of 7,209 children who did not have an allocated social worker (this includes children in care). Of these 1,557 cases were classed as high priority. As of July this year 7% of all children in care did not have a dedicated social worker allocated to their case. This is not acceptable to me.
The Deputy will understand that a programme of this size requires careful management and Tusla presented a three year plan to deal with this long-running issue.
In order to address this issue, I am increasing the allocation to Tusla by some €38 million next year. This will allow for the targeting of funding by Tusla at addressing the high number of cases awaiting social worker allocation. This targeted funding will allow Tusla to recruit the extra social workers and associated staff needed to respond to this issue. Tusla will be extending its current programme of recruitment throughout 2016 to support this process.
I am satisfied that the increased level of funding approved will significantly strengthen Tusla's base funding level and give the Agency greater capacity to respond to identified need and anticipated demand.
I will be closely monitoring the work of Tusla in addressing any area of identified risk in 2016 and in ensuring that our children are kept safe and protected.
28. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs regarding the Child Care Law Reporting Project, which has released its third report; his views on whether the project is producing invaluable information and data on child care cases in the courts; and the way he is utilising these data. [35516/15]
View answerThe Child Care Law Reporting Project (CCLRP) is an independent project authorised under Section 29 of the Child Care Act 1991 (as amended by the Child Care (Amendment) Act 2007), and in accordance with Regulations made under that Section to report on child care proceedings. The project is supported in this work by my Department, the One Foundation and Atlantic Philanthropies.
The aims and objectives of the project are to:
- Provide information to the public on child care proceedings in the courts;
- Conduct research on these proceedings in order to promote debate and inform policy-makers;
- Make recommendations to address any short-comings in the child care system identified by the research;
- Assist in the implementation of these recommendations;
- Promote confidence in the child care system.
The project pursues its aims and objectives by attending the courts where child care cases are heard in order to report on those proceedings while protecting the anonymity of the children and their families. The CCLRP publishes reports of child care cases for the public and all relevant stake-holders, collects and analyses data from the proceedings, publishes reports on the nature and outcomes of the child care proceedings and seeks to promote a public debate on the issues raised through seminars and conferences. One such conference took place in April of this year in the form of an International Conference on Child Protection and the Law, which considered some of the findings so far and heard from international contributors in relation to alternative models of care and child protection.
Child care cases, heard mainly in the District Courts, involve applications by the Child and Family Agency for orders to protect children, including supervision orders, emergency and interim care orders and full care orders. Under supervision orders, families receive help and supervision from the Agency; under care orders, the child is placed on either an interim or more permanent basis in care. The cases are heard in camera in order to protect the privacy of the children and their families. There are rarely written judgments in the District Court.
To date, the project has published 11 volumes of case reports – four volumes each year in 2013 and 2014 and three so far in 2015, the most recent of which was published on the 1st of October, 2015 and which contained 37 case histories. It has also published two interim reports, in November, 2013 and October, 2014. Both interim reports contain a number of (interim) observations and suggestions, but no recommendations. A final report is expected to be published shortly.
Thus far, the project has highlighted variations in child care applications and outcomes, including by region, ethnicity and by family status. These require further research to determine the reasons for the variations and to see how more targeted interventions can, where possible, ensure that the level of intervention is the most appropriate.
Overall, the project will provide a measure of the effectiveness of current systems and policies in the area of child protection and that of court administration, and assist in identifying areas where corrective action may be required. Ultimately, it will assist my Department in gaining a greater depth of knowledge and understanding of child care cases and will increase the evidence base on which future policy formulation is based.
29. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs his views on the One in Four annual report released on 7 October 2015; his views on the resources needed to respond to child sex abuse; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35513/15]
View answerI would like to acknowledge the work done by One in Four and very much respect the views contained in its Annual Report for 2014. I share One in Four's vision of working towards a society where children are free from sexual violence.
Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, has statutory responsibility for the care and protection of victims of sexual violence. In terms of financial resources, Tusla is spending almost €4.0m this year on specialist sexual violence services, with funding maintained at 2014 levels. I have consistently emphasised to Tusla that I want to see frontline services protected and this is the approach that is being adopted.
Sexual violence services are being developed by Tusla as a national specialist service in order to achieve greater co-ordination of responses to both adult and child victims of sexual violence across all relevant services. The ultimate goal is to enable better outcomes for those who have experienced sexual violence.
Tusla is focused on addressing factors that prevent incidents of sexual violence and on dealing with the impact of these crimes on the women, men and children affected. It is progressing a range of reforms to deliver a consistently high standard of response to survivors of historical sexual abuse.
Tusla has mechanisms in place for individuals to make formal complaints as well as seeking reviews. It is vital that the feedback and complaints are made formally to Tusla to ensure that it can drive the reforms it is undertaking in relation to retrospective allegations of abuse.
As the Deputy will be aware, I announced a significant increase in the funding allocation to Tusla for next year. Tusla will have available to it some €676 million in funding, representing an increase of €38 million over 2015.
The precise level of funding to be allocated to the sexual violence services will be determined by Tusla in preparing its Business Plan, which will be sent to me for consideration.
I would like to assure the Deputy that I and Tusla will continue to support the provision of services for victims of sexual abuse. Developing a stronger, more effective and responsive child protection services has been a key priority for me as Minister for Children and Youth Affairs.
