Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 3 Mar 1998

Vol. 488 No. 1

Written Answers - Family Support Services.

Ivor Callely

Ceist:

196 Mr. Callely asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will give details of the development of early intervention services aimed at children and the family; the number of these services or programmes in place in each health board area; the demand on these services; the expansion, if any, of these services over the next 12 months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5766/98]

Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children (Mr. Fahey)

The case for early intervention has been well proven both in Ireland and internationally. As such, each health board funds a range of early intervention services for children and families which are provided by, or in partnership with, voluntary organisations.

Services provided include the community mothers programme, family support services, day nurseries, family centres, family resources centres, neighbourhood youth projects, after-school and other school support projects, parenting programmes and pre-school services for the disadvantaged. The type of service provided varies throughout the country as provision is based on identified needs in particular areas and on services priorities which has been identified by health boards. The main objectives of these services are to relieve poverty, to compensate for material or other disadvantage in individual families, to prevent serious child rearing problems which would involve the removal of children from home and to strengthen resources for families in local areas with social needs.

The public health nursing service, speech and language therapy service, developmental clinics, school medical examinations and vision and screening are also aimed at early identification and intervention.

Health boards are committed to the expansion of these services as resources permit and to increasing the amount of resources allocated to preventative services.

Each health board produces a report on the adequacy of the child care and family support services in their board on an annual basis. These reports address the provision of early intervention services for children and families and I have arranged for copies of the reports in respect of 1996 to be forwarded to the Deputy.