Vol. 483 No. 2
83 Mr. Quinn asked the Minister for Health and Children if he has satisfied himself with the provision of respite care for children with disabilities who are living with their parents; if his attention has been drawn to the research work carried out by the UCD marketing development programme for the Jack and Jill foundation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19848/97]
The provision of respite services for children with disabilities is a vital part of the support services required by families in caring for children with disabilities. Respite care is provided in a number of ways. In some cases it is provided in a residential setting. It is also provided by host families through the various share a break schemes. The home support services can also provide shorter respite breaks for carers. In particular additional funding amounting to almost £69 million has been invested in services to persons with a mental handicap since 1990 which has resulted in an enhanced level of residential, day and respite facilities. The respite care services will continue to be expanded. Account has been and will continue to be taken of this need in the allocation of additional resources for the provision of new residential facilities and the enhancement of other schemes which assist families in this area.
I recently met with one of the founder members of the Jack and Jill foundation to discuss the research work carried out for the foundation by the UCD marketing development programme. In addition to the need for increased respite facilities, the report also raised other issues related to the early intervention services generally. The development of better diagnostic techniques and improved early intervention services is vital in assisting both the families and individual children with delayed development to maximise their full potential. Improved access to these services and better communication between both the various professionals involved with the services and the families are key components of the overall development of services. I have recently provided additional funding of £25,000 for a pilot project, in conjunction with the Mid-Western Health Board, on the early intervention services in that region. The purpose of this project is to look at the processes of referral and access to support services, beginning with the earliest stage in the maternity hospitals working through the roles of the various multidisciplinary inputs which children with delayed development may require and the services which they provide. This would include paediatricians, directors of community care, counselling nurses, public health nurses, community based multidisciplinary staff and specialist diagnostic and treatment services in the hospital system. Particular emphasis will be placed on the importance of the initiation and maintenance of the lines of communication necessary to enable parents to freely access the various services which their child requires and on the provision of information regarding their entitlements, the support which may be available to them and how to access that support. It is my intention to use the report on this project to highlight methods of best practice in this area and to disseminate this information to other health board regions.
