Maureen O'Sullivan
Question:30. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the involvement of her Department in the area of prevention and education relating to addiction. [33521/16]
View answerDepartmental Functions
Questions (30)
Written answers
The main responsibility for providing prevention and education support in relation to addiction lies within the Department of Health. However, as Minister for Children and Youth Affairs I recognise that every interaction with a child or young person brings an opportunity to improve their health and well being. In Better Outcomes, Brighter Futures improving Health and Well Being is one of the five major national outcomes that we seek to achieve for children and young people.
My Department funds the National Longitudinal Survey, Growing Up in Ireland, which has just this week released the key findings resulting from a survey of children first looked at aged 9 and who are now 17 and 18. The survey shows that children who start drinking or smoking earlier are more likely to drink or smoke more frequently than those who start drinking alcohol later. For example of the 15% who had had a drink at 13 years of age, 62% of those drank 2-4 times per month, compared with 47% who had not. The survey also showed whilst 69% of 17/18 year olds had never used cannabis, 8% reported using it occasionally and 2% used it more than once a week.
Much work has been done with respect to the development of alcohol and drug policies in youth settings through funding provided by my Department. We support these services under the Youth Service Grant Scheme and the Young People’s Facilities and Services Fund, and through the work of a range of youth work organisations.
I believe we need to continue this development throughout all youth organisations within the National Quality Standards Framework for Youth Work, and I am committed to working with youth organisations for this purpose. The National Youth Health Programme is a partnership operated by the National Youth Council of Ireland with the Youth Affairs Unit of my Department and the Health Promotion Unit of the HSE respectively.
The Programme aims to provide a broad-based, flexible health promotion/education support and training service. It includes making healthy choices in relation to alcohol and other drugs, to youth organisations and to all those working with young people in the non-formal education setting.
School Completion Programme
Questions (31)
Anne Rabbitte
Question:31. Deputy Anne Rabbitte asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she has had discussions with Tusla on the need to increase the budget to the school completion programme; her views on whether there is a need to restore funding to this community programme; and if she has satisfied herself that it is well funded. [33342/16]
View answerWritten answers
Tusla has had operational responsibility for the School Completion Programme since 2014. This includes decisions on the allocation of funds to local projects. The aim of the School Completion Programme is to retain young people in the formal education system until they complete the senior cycle. The Programme is designed to improve school attendance and participation of young people who are at risk of educational disadvantage. The programme provides targeted supports annually to approximately 37,000 children.
The Economic and Social Research Institute reviewed the programme on behalf of Tusla and its report was published in October 2015. Tusla has taken a number of actions to address the findings of the review and to strengthen the operation of the programme for the future. My focus now is on ensuring that the reforms proposed in the review are implemented. I believe that we should examine the case for additional investment when these reforms have been achieved, particularly after the governance arrangements at local and national level have been put in place. The Agency has confirmed that the cost of funding the School Completion Programme in 2016 is €24.756m the same as 2014 and 2015.
I am pleased to note that the Programme is now achieving a school completion rate of over 90%. This is a welcome illustration of its effectiveness, and represents a 7% increase since 2006.
An important priority for me as Minister for Children and Youth Affairs is to improve attendance and participation in education, particularly for vulnerable children. The Programme for Government commits to publishing a new School Completion Strategy to further improve school completion rates, particularly in disadvantaged areas. I will work closely with the Minister for Education and Skills in developing the new Strategy and in the context of the Government programme commitment to a new Action Plan for Educational Inclusion. The aim is to secure quality educational outcomes for all children, especially those at risk of educational disadvantage.
Guardians Ad Litem
Questions (32)
Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire
Question:32. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs her views on her Department's paper, Preparing a Policy Approach to the reform of Guardian Ad Litem Arrangements, with particular reference to the legal representation of guardians ad litem in court proceedings; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33538/16]
View answerWritten answers
It is widely agreed that reform of our current Guardian ad litem provisions is necessary to address significant inadequacies in the existing arrangements. I want to establish an accountable national system for service management and delivery, and to provide assurances regarding the quality and sustainability of services into the future. In particular, I want to provide in legislation for the status and functions of the Guardian ad litem, as well as for the professional qualifications and practical experience required to be eligible to act a Guardian ad litem.
In order to inform key areas of reform, my Department conducted a consultation with stakeholders. Some 26 detailed responses to my Department's paper "Preparing a Policy Approach to the Reform of Guardian Ad Litem Arrangements" have been received. The responses were published on my Department’s website on 28th September 2016.
The overall objectives of my reforms will be to extend the GAL system to benefit the greatest number of children and young people, and to provide a service that is high quality and sustainable into the future.
I have recently brought detailed policy proposals to Government and obtained approval for the drafting of a General Scheme and Heads of Bill. This new Bill will address key areas such as the establishment of a nationally organised, managed and delivered service which is underpinned by clear principles and policies. The circumstances where a Guardian ad litem should be appointed will be set out in the legislation. The role and powers of the Guardian ad litem will be delineated, together with the professional qualifications and practical experience required to be eligible to act as a Guardian ad litem, will be specified.
I also intend to provide for appropriate access to legal advice and legal representation for GALs, while recognising that not every case will require this legal support. The best interests of the child will be the paramount consideration in all of these matters. I am committed to progressing these proposals as quickly as possible, and am aiming to have Heads of Bill ready in draft form by the end of the year.
Social Workers Recruitment
Questions (33)
Mattie McGrath
Question:33. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the status of the deficit in social workers assigned to County Tipperary; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33434/16]
View answerWritten answers
Tusla’s social work services in Tipperary are divided between two areas - Mid West Area and Carlow, Kilkenny and South Tipperary Area.
At the end of August 2016 the Mid West Area had 124 whole time equivalent social workers and the Carlow, Kilkenny and South Tipperary Area had 62 whole time equivalent social workers. Tusla services are delivered geographically through 17 areas in total and the social worker whole time equivalent is reflective of the service needs of the particular area’s population.
Tusla continues to have ambitious recruitment targets and expects to recruit an additional 90 whole time equivalent social workers before the end of 2016 and an additional 135 whole time equivalent social workers in 2017. I understand that the allocation of these additional social workers in Tusla's 17 areas, including the two areas incorporating Tipperary, will be informed by on-going discussions between Tusla and its Regional HR Managers to identify positions required to meet service needs.
2017 will be the second year of a three year initiative to tackle the issue of child protection cases awaiting allocation to a social worker and the additional funding announced by my Department for Tusla in 2017 will allow the Agency to continue its programme of social worker recruitment to address this issue.
Child Care Services Provision
Questions (34)
Gino Kenny
Question:34. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if the new child care scheme is to assist the most disadvantaged in society; the way it is justified that those on TEC schemes will be worse off with the child care subvention scheme, considering that those parents are the poorest in society; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33544/16]
View answerWritten answers
I am pleased to assure the Deputy that no recipients will be made worse off as a result of the improvements I am introducing. Under the current programmes, including the TEC programme to which the Deputy refers, there are many families with low income-levels who are not currently able to access subsidised childcare because of the requirement to be in receipt of certain state benefits or attending certain training programmes.
The benefits of moving to an income-basis for eligibility under the new scheme include:
- Clarity, with a move away from a complex array of eligibility criteria to a single, clear basis.
- Reduction of welfare traps and increased support for progression into employment and retention in employment.
- Equity, in ensuring that low-income working families are not excluded from benefitting from subsidised childcare.
It is anticipated that the vast majority of people (95%) who avail of the current targeted childcare schemes will benefit from the change to the new Affordable Childcare Scheme. For example, under the most generous of the current TEC programmes, the maximum parental contribution of €25 per week equates to €0.62 per hour. By contrast, under the new scheme, those getting the maximum rate of subsidy might be expected to face a lower average parental contribution of €0.30 per hour. It is estimated that 77% of the current scheme beneficiaries will get the maximum rate of subsidy under the new scheme. Furthermore, 'saver provisions' will mean that nobody will be made worse off in the immediate transition to the new scheme, i.e people will either gain or have their subsidy protected for a transitional period.
In 2017, the number of children benefiting from the new Affordable Childcare scheme is estimated at 79,000. This includes 25,000 children who will benefit from the universal subsidy. An estimated 54,000 children will benefit from the targeted subsidies, including 31,500 children who already receive support under the current targeted schemes and 22,500 new beneficiaries.
Child Care Services Provision
Questions (35)
Gino Kenny
Question:35. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs her views on whether €12 million is substantial enough to support persons on the lowest threshold or income; if the support to be provided is realistic enough to meet the needs of low income workers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33543/16]
View answerWritten answers
I am satisfied that the new scheme is properly funded to support people on the lowest incomes. Budget 2017 provided an additional €19m to enable the introduction of a new single Affordable Childcare Scheme from September 2017. This is in addition to the existing funding which supports the current targeted schemes and which equates to €87m annually. The full year cost of the scheme will be approximately €150m.
From September 2017, the new Affordable Childcare Scheme will:
- replace the existing targeted subsidisation schemes with a new streamlined and simplified scheme which is more accessible for both parents and providers,
- provide a fair and consistent scheme of progressive financial support towards the cost of childcare, with a particular initial focus on lower income families but also incorporating universal supports, and
- provide a robust and flexible platform for future investment in childcare in Ireland.
Budget 2017 provided an additional €19m to enable the introduction of a new single Affordable Childcare Scheme from September 2017. However, this is in addition to the existing funding which supports the current targeted schemes and which equates to €87m annually. The full year cost of the scheme will be approximately €150m.
The new scheme will make childcare more affordable, and will enable both universal and targeted subsidies for parents towards their childcare costs. In 2017, the number of children benefiting from the new Affordable Childcare scheme is estimated at 79,000. This includes 25,000 children who will benefit from the universal subsidy. An estimated 54,000 children will benefit from the targeted subsidies, including 31,500 children who already receive support under the current targeted schemes and 22,500 new beneficiaries.
Under the targeted element of the scheme, the maximum income threshold ensures that all families within the bottom 5 income deciles should receive some level of support. However, the scheme also provides a flexible platform for future investment, allowing income thresholds and subsidy rates to be adjusted over time so as to expand support to more families.