Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 7 November 2018
39. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will make the necessary funds available to an organisation (details supplied) in order that it can continue to offer the full range of crucial support services to vulnerable children; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45826/18]
View answerI thank the Deputy for his question about the Cottage Home Family Support Service, which provides family support services to children and families in the South Dublin area. The organisation also provides a residential care service for young people. In 2018, Tusla, the Child and Family Agency is providing €1.6 million in funding for the residential component of this service.
I have received correspondence from several members of the Oireachtas, including the Deputy, on this matter. I have also received detailed correspondence from the management of the Cottage Home detailing the nature of the valuable work that they do, the cost pressures they are under and the reasons they wish to receive State funding for their family support service in order to ensure its sustainability.
The provision of family support services is a matter for Tusla. I have raised the concerns of the Deputy and others regarding the future funding of this organisation with Tusla.
I have been informed that the family support service has been in operation for a number of years and to date, has been privately funded by the Cottage Home. It has not received funding from Tusla, or the Health Service Executive (HSE), which provided child and family services prior to the establishment of Tusla in January 2014.
Tusla acknowledges the value and benefits of this service in the community it serves. Tusla has advised me that the Service Director and the Area Manager are familiar with services provided by the Cottage Home and have visited the service.
I understand that, at the time when the Cottage Home made a request for funding, available resources for family support services had been allocated to services in the area. Tusla did, however, advise the Cottage Home to apply for funding through one of its funding streams, including support for Counselling, which would assist in the provision of some of its services.
Tusla has advised that it is currently compiling a Commissioning Plan for services in the area, which seeks to assign resources to areas of the greatest need, ensuring the best possible outcomes. Requests for funding from the Cottage Home will be considered in this context. The planning process will help inform any future spending in the area based on evidenced needs. Tusla has invited the Cottage Home to be involved in stakeholder consultations on the planning process early next year.
As previously highlighted, Tusla is committed to working with service providers in the area to ensure services are available to vulnerable children and families.
