Vol. 912 No. 2
6. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs to report on the accommodation of homeless children in adult homeless accommodation; the actions she has taken on the welfare of homeless children; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14844/16]
I know the Minister is only new to the job, but I wanted her to comment on what I believe is the greatest welfare scandal in the country, namely, the fact there has been a doubling of the number of children in homeless accommodation, as well as a doubling of the number of adults. There is no greater task ahead of the Minister than resolving this issue, and I would like to hear how she proposes to do that.
I agree that this is a great concern for all of us and it is a priority for me as Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, both in terms of the specific aspect the Deputy raises in respect of adult homeless accommodation and the wider issues I referred to in reply to an earlier question. Recent reports of a number of families having to avail of emergency accommodation in facilities that are intended for use by homeless adults only are very distressing. I have been informed by the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government that the placement of families into adult emergency accommodation in Dublin is a last resort. It only occurs late at night when no other accommodation can be sourced in the city through family accommodation or commercial hotels.
Such a response is clearly undesirable, but it is sometimes the only option available to ensure a family does not sleep rough. In these circumstances, families are accommodated in secure and defined areas that are separate from other adult service users. I understand that Dublin City Council has confirmed that fewer than ten incidences of such placements occurred recently. Each family was subsequently contacted the next morning by a member of the family homeless action team which worked with the housing authorities to provide more suitable alternative accommodation. Still, it should not have to occur, and I am very cognisant that we must work to reduce the occasions on which this happens. I cannot imagine what it might have been like if my three brothers, one sister and I had to do something like that.
With regard to the actions I have taken on the welfare of homeless children, as the Deputy will be aware, Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, provides family support and works with relevant services to maximise the supports available to children and families who are homeless. Tusla and the Dublin Region Homeless Executive are shortly to sign off on a joint protocol which includes guidance on working with families where child protection concerns arise within emergency homeless accommodation.
Additional information not given on the floor of the House
I anticipate that the protocol will be in full operation this month. Tusla has also appointed a homelessness liaison officer to lead on its engagement with homeless services, particularly on child protection issues.
Issues related to homelessness are a key priority for the Government. In conjunction with my Cabinet colleagues, I am seeking to define a set of measures to better support children with their families in emergency homeless accommodation.
The Minister rightly mentioned the cases where no other accommodation could be found and children had to be put into adult hostels, sleeping on blow-up beds. It is an absolute scandal in an EU state. There are 2,121 homeless children, and the figures have doubled.
I have seen in Dublin West, where we have a homelessness crisis, that there are serious knock-on impacts on children from being homeless and from the housing crisis in general. Children are falling behind in school, for example. There is no hotel or homeless accommodation in the area and we have people getting two buses across the city. Children are losing their friends. They are incurring stigma, shame and depression from the situation they are in, which is living in a hotel. One family I know are there for one year and two months. Obesity is also a serious problem. How are families meant to get decent, healthy food when they cannot cook for themselves? Children are becoming seriously obese and there are also knock-on impacts on their parents. Has the Department done any audit of this or is it commissioning an audit on the damage that is being done?
Deputy Coppinger is absolutely right. All the issues she identifies are very distressing for me as Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, but also just as a human being and a citizen of this country.
I referred to some of this in an earlier question, but I have already had a number of meetings and conversations with many of the non-governmental organisations in this area, especially in respect of children in emergency accommodation and hotels. I am aware that often the children in the hotels are away from their schools and that causes a problem. Families also do not have the facilities to cook. As we approach the summer months, one of our great concerns is that hotel accommodation may not even be available because of what is going on in terms of the tourism industry.
As I said earlier, I have gathered a number of people already to discuss this. The Minister, Deputy Coveney, and I are beginning to work on a plan specifically to address children who are homeless. In the next couple of weeks I will gather the stakeholders again to identify short-term measures as well as beginning to plan for medium-term measures to ensure children are cared for in that context.
I am on the Committee on Housing and Homelessness and I have just taken a break to ask this question. One of the contributions to the committee came from SONAS housing association which reported that women and children are choosing to stay in violent homes rather than go into homelessness. The health of children and women is being jeopardised because of this situation.
The Minister took a very controversial decision to join the Government which has overseen a doubling of homelessness. I assume she factored all that in when she took that decision. How does she see this situation being ended without emergency measures being taken to build homes for those who need them and serious tackling of the wealth that exists in this society? We have seen the rich list. The people at the top have doubled their wealth, yet we have people living in these situations. In 2014, there were 465 adults with children and there were 726 children homeless in Ireland. Now there are 1,570. Why did the Minister take such a controversial decision to join the Government that allowed this situation to develop in the first place?
Deputy Coppinger is right that it was controversial. It was not a universally popular decision and I am aware of that. I discerned it carefully. The Deputy is absolutely right in that there is a major challenge here. I have been describing to her and to Deputy Rabbitte earlier how this issue in particular is a key concern of mine, and I have already done a number of things in terms of bringing together some of the stakeholders and making a commitment to working closely with my Cabinet colleague in this regard.
I am also very aware of some of the issues in respect of SONAS housing association. I did a great deal of research and work with it earlier in my career, so I am aware and I am appalled, as the Deputy identified, to hear that in those circumstances the alternative for women and children is to stay where they are, which is not a good thing either. I am deeply concerned by that. We have only a certain amount of time. Judge us on what we manage to do. I am happy to be judged on that.
7. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the plans she is working on to address the shortfall of active on-duty social workers in child protection services and to reduce the large number of at-risk children who are not allocated a social worker in a timely manner after the initial assessment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14860/16]
Deputy Rabbitte is taking this question on behalf of Deputy Cahill.
What plans is the Department of Children and Youth Affairs working on at present to address the shortfall of active on-duty social workers in child protection services and to reduce the large number of at-risk children who are not allocated a social worker in a timely manner after the initial assessment?
As part of its budget submission for 2016, Tusla identified a need for extra staffing to meet critical service concerns, including children with no allocated social worker. Funding of €6.1 million was allocated to Tusla for this purpose. Tusla has set a target of a net increase of 168 social workers by the end of 2016. It will be important to recruit other grades as well to ensure an efficient service with the right mix of staffing, including family support staff and administrative support.
Tusla has been proactive in its efforts to meet its recruitment targets in a competitive environment for professional staff. Progress is being made, and at the end of April 2016, an additional 110 social workers were employed directly by Tusla compared with the same period in 2015. Tusla has also established its own in-house recruitment team, Tusla Recruit, which has engaged directly with third level institutions to promote Tusla as an employer of choice. While it is still early days, this approach appears to be working, with more than 290 expressions of interest in response to a recent graduate campaign. Tusla will commence interviewing these graduates during the summer.
I assure the Deputy that all urgent and emergency child protection cases are dealt with immediately. Cases that are unallocated are closely monitored, supported and managed by the duty social work team under the supervision of the principal social worker. Unallocated cases are often cases where a child has just come into care and is awaiting allocation of a social worker, or where a child is in a very stable fostering placement, provided perhaps by a relative.
Cases are subject to ongoing reviews and, where appropriate, the level and nature of support being provided will change depending on the needs of the child. Tusla has advised me that there was a significant reduction of 17% in the number of open cases awaiting allocation of a social worker at the end of March 2016 compared to December 2015.
I thank the Minister and I welcome her response. However, from talking to some Tusla staff members in Dublin I am concerned that they have a problem with holding on to staff because the workload is so heavy. I would like to know what is Tusla's level of staff retention. I do not remember the exact figure, the Minister said some 100 were recruited in the year to date. Are these positions temporary or permanent and how many are senior personnel within the organisation?
Reference was made to children who are high, medium and low risk. I hope the 1,300 children who are in the high-risk category are getting full attention. However, medium to low-risk children are potentially high risk for future because of the current position regarding recruitment by Tusla. Some 25% of referrals have yet to be allocated a social worker across many of the areas and approximately 50% in Dublin. This is a huge concern and I am sure the Minister understands the problem. I know she is meeting representatives from Tusla but perhaps the Minister could clarify if this could be expedited so a full workforce could be recruited to use up the €6 million?
I thank Deputy Rabbitte for her excellent questions. I will certainly refer back to many of them. With regard to the efforts to recruit and retain staff, especially social workers, Tusla has an in-house recruitment function. It is reducing recruitment timelines and is identifying bottlenecks and working, where appropriate, with the national recruitment service of the HSE. Tusla is proactively engaging with third level institutions and overseas recruiters. It is also developing an employee assistance programme and managing caseloads, which is a very proactive measure. In addition, there is an internal staff transfer policy in place across Tusla to facilitate geographical mobility. The HSE does not have that facility. We are ensuring that staff have the appropriate ICT equipment and infrastructure to support their work.
Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire is taking Question No. 8 on behalf of Deputy Brian Stanley.
8. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the action being taken to address the need for special needs assistants in early childhood care and education programmes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14828/16]
I will shortly launch a new access and inclusion model to enable children with disabilities to participate in the ECCE programme. Importantly, it is not based on SNAs but on a system of seven levels of progressive support. This model is tailored to the specific needs of children - moving from universal to targeted - to enable the full inclusion and meaningful participation of children with disabilities in the ECCE model. It was recommended by an expert interdepartmental group and I believe it represents the best way forward.
Some of the main supports offered under this model include: a new higher education programme in inclusion will upskill early years practitioners in inclusive early years care and education - my Department will fund a small capitation increase where service providers employ a graduate from the programme; a dedicated website containing comprehensive information resources for parents and providers; advice and support from a team of 50 experts in early years education for children with disabilities; a scheme for the provision of specialised equipment, appliances and minor building alterations; therapeutic intervention where this is needed to allow a child enrol, and fully participate in, preschool; and additional capitation to enable the preschool leader to buy in additional support or reduce the staff-child ratio where this is critical to ensuring a child’s participation.
The new model focuses on the developmental level of children with disabilities, their functional ability, their strengths and their needs. It will not focus on diagnosis, recognising that many children may not have a formal diagnosis at the time of presenting to preschool.
Service providers and parents will be able to submit applications for supports under the new model this month to allow them to plan for preschool enrolment in September 2016. It will take some time for the model to be fully implemented and working to full capacity. In the meantime, there is a commitment that all supports currently available through the HSE and various agencies will remain in place.
I acknowledge the access and inclusion model that was launched in November 2015 to support children with a disability in ECCE settings. I recognise what the Minister has said with regard to diagnosis. She is quite right that it is very likely that many children will not have a diagnosis by the time they access these services. The model is welcome as it incorporates many new approaches to enable full inclusion and meaningful participation for children with disabilities. Aspects of the model are certainly measures that Sinn Féin would support. If implemented correctly, these could address many issues facing children in the ECCE programmes. However, I am not convinced that the model is without its faults. I know this policy was not of the current Minister's making and that she is keeping it under review. That is why the question was tabled. Let us consider the sector as a whole. Obviously, there are family resource centres and private providers which provide ECCE programmes so it is a rather mixed sector. Our concern is that now, and potentially into the future, SNAs would be provided on an ad hoc basis which would not be adequate and we would not consider that to be a satisfactory situation.
I appreciate the Deputy's concerns. What I have outlined in my measure is a move and a transition to a new way. It is a transition to a new way that was developed on the basis of extensive consultation, research and work with experts who are now designing around what the research indicates may be a better way to ensure inclusion and access of our very beautiful young children who have some form of disability. I am going to trust that process with regard to that body of work and research. The Deputy is correct to identify the importance of being very careful about watching this unfold and the importance of monitoring and reviewing it. I appreciate the challenge it will be for the current system as well as for the people who are part of that system and who are working as SNAs.
I thank the Minister for her reply. I am glad that the concerns will be taken on board and will contribute to the transition in whatever way is appropriate. Will the Minister indicate when this transition to a new model might take place? In the interim, does she anticipate that the HSE will consider any additional manner by which SNAs can be allocated in an appropriate manner, and even directly if necessary?
We are trying to move towards allowing for applications for a preschool enrolment in 2016. The full capacity will not be rolled out but it is going to be an additional resource, plan and implementation of efforts to be inclusive regarding children who are disabled. If I understand the Deputy's question, I am not necessarily anticipating any moves to look for additional SNAs because what is going to be rolled out initially will complement what is already there. As the process moves forward, there will be the implementation of that as a full approach to inclusion.
9. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the specific measures she is planning to tackle child poverty; if she had discussions with the Minister for Social Protection as regards addressing poverty rates for children in one-parent families, 22.1% of whom, according to the 2014 European Union survey on income and living conditions, are living in consistent poverty; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14817/16]
Does Deputy Wallace wish to introduce the question?
Some 11% of children today are living in consistent poverty. The recent UNICEF Fairness for Children report found that Ireland has the fourth worse income inequality in the EU. What direct actions does this Government plan to take to address this huge problem? I also wish the Minister good luck with her new job.
I thank Deputy Wallace. The reduction of children's poverty is a key political priority for my work as Minister. I informed the Taoiseach of that a couple of weeks ago. I have devoted all of my professional life in Ireland to the development of community based approaches to tackle children's poverty and to the design and delivery of effective prevention and early intervention strategies to do the same. I am fully committed to working with my colleagues in government, particularly the Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Varadkar, with whom I have had several discussions on which I can speak later, to ensure a collaborative approach to tackling child poverty. We will both be addressing a forthcoming conference on child poverty being organised by the Children's Rights Alliance and I am looking forward to what he will say at it. The Government set a child-specific poverty target in Better Outcomes, Brighter Futures to reduce consistent child poverty by at least two thirds by 2020, and that year is getting closer. The figure currently represents 100,000 children. I have asked to and will chair the policy consortium that leads the work of Better Outcomes, Brighter Futures to drive key actions but particularly, and the reason I asked especially for it, to drive the actions on children's poverty.
The Department of Social Protection has the lead role in co-ordinating Government strategies on child poverty. It also has the lead responsibility for the national action plan for social inclusion and has identified child poverty as a key cross-sectoral priority to be addressed. Officials in my Department are working closely with the Department of Social Protection in informing the plan for this cross-sectoral priority. In February 2016, my Department, in collaboration with the Department of Social Protection, held an EU peer review with ten EU countries to explore innovative responses in prevention and early intervention to improve outcomes for children, in particular those who experience poverty.
That is a lot of the policy but we are working towards complementing that with the actions as well.
The Minister tells me about a general policy, but what specific direct actions does the Government plan to take to deal with this issue? Certain groups are particularly at risk such as children from lone-parent families, children in jobless households, Traveller and Roma children, children living in direct provision, children with disabilities and obviously those who are homeless. The measures brought in by the last Government had a significant direct impact on one-parent families and their children. For example, at 22.1% one-parent family households have the highest consistent poverty rate of any household type in Ireland but the cuts introduced in July 2015, which lowered the age threshold for the youngest child of new recipients to seven years of age, mean that one-parent families now have to fight even harder to make ends meet and God knows they face several barriers aside from that. A direct action would be, for example, to change that measure and go back to where we were. It was a draconian measure and one which was always going to have a terrible effect on lone parents and child poverty.
I fought that measure tooth and nail when I was a Senator, so I am very well aware of those measures to cut. In respect of the commitments that I effectively put in and am pursuing in the programme for Government, particularly in relation to lone parents, which Deputy Wallace referenced in his question, the programme for Government commits to the design of a working family payment, particularly for low-income or even jobless households. In that regard, I am engaging in serious conversations and meetings with the Department of Social Protection to ensure, as provided in the commitment, that within the context of that design is the opportunity to raise those income disregards, particularly for lone parents, so that it will effectively be a measure that will not only reduce disincentives to taking up employment for low-income households but will also be a measure that will directly impact on children's poverty.
Employment alone will not necessarily lift one-parent families or their children out of poverty. According to NERA, in the past 15 years there has been a gradual increase in the proportion of workers classified as being low paid in Ireland. For many one-parent families, the only jobs available are low paid and precarious ones. Other measures are required. I draw the Minister's attention to the fact that we now have more than 2,000 children growing up in direct provision. It is akin to State-sanctioned poverty. They get €9.60 a week; their parents get €19.10. We have been giving out about this for a long time but, sadly, it seems that it is still as bad as it was. When will something different happen? No one in the place would try to defend the direct provision system. It reminds me a bit of Guantanamo, which Obama threatened to close seven years ago but which is still open.
The Minister has only 20 seconds to reply.
I totally agree with the Deputy that we need action. I referred to just one of the big commitments in the programme for Government and I hope in the context of my involvement that there will be a specific focus on the reduction of children's poverty. As we know, lots of things impact on it, but what would impact on it most immediately is potentially increasing some form of children's income support, which is something we are looking at as a possibility, perhaps in a targeted way, alongside supporting families to take up jobs.
On lone parents, another commitment I placed in the programme for Government is to review access to higher education and the barriers for lone parents and, on the basis of that review and the recommendations that come out of it, to act in that regard. In looking at this working family payment and the way it is designed, we need to be aware, as Deputy Wallace stated, that this is not just about jobs but quality jobs and jobs that can ensure the parents' children move beyond poverty.
10. Deputy Shane Cassells asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the status of the implementation of the access and inclusion model for children with additional needs entering the early childhood care and education scheme in September 2016; and if she will provide a commitment that the Health Service Executive will not withdraw any supports currently in place until the new seven level model is embedded in the early years sector. [14720/16]
Does Deputy Cassells want 30 seconds to introduce this question?
What is the status of the implementation of the access and inclusion model for children with additional needs entering the early childhood care and education, ECCE, scheme in September of this year? Will the Minister give a commitment that the HSE will not withdraw any supports currently in place until the new seven levels model is embedded in the early years sector?
It is really important that the Deputy raised that question. A similar question was raised earlier but I will say again, as it is important to place it on the record, that I am pleased to confirm that all the supports currently available through the HSE and various agencies will remain in place until the new model is fully operational. As the Deputy may be aware, the access and inclusion model is a cross-Government initiative led by my Department and involves the Department of Health, the Department of Education and Skills and others. It will deliver seven levels of progressive support moving from the universal to the targeted, which I outlined a little earlier when I was answering another question, to enable the full inclusion and meaningful participation of children with disabilities in the ECCE programme.
Work is well advanced across all elements of the model with a view to introducing this initiative later this month. As I have already stated, it will be introduced in phases and current supports will not be withdrawn until that is fully implemented.
I thank the Minister for her response. The confirmation in respect of the supports is welcome but the core of the question refers to the status of the implementation. I tabled this question on supports for children with additional needs entering the free preschool year because there has been a massive information vacuum for both providers of these services and parents. Mums and dads anxious about the situation have been coming to or ringing me about the place in September for their child in Meath and elsewhere and whether the centres have the trained staff to take the child in September. In light of her response, will the Minister highlight how the Department expects to have the staff, some 4,000 in total, in these private early years centres fully trained so that they can provide the required support for children with additional needs? Does her Department expect every centre to have the trained staff in place in September? If not, can providers still avail of the additional two-year per child capitation funding which has been allocated to the centres, pitiful as it is, to provide children with additional needs access to the free preschool year?
The point the Deputy identified in his question is critical in terms of the upskilling and continual professional development and education of practitioners and professionals in early childhood care and education in ensuring that when children with disabilities become part of their settings they know best how to ensure and enable the achievement of their potential.
It was also the case not that long ago in primary school training that not every teacher was necessarily provided with the type of education and skills base to be able to integrate into their classrooms children with particular types of learning disabilities or other forms of disabilities, and yet we have moved on to progress the matter. This is what we want to achieve with this model. It is a critical aspect of that initiative as it is unfolding.
As I said, centres will be closing their doors in three weeks and yet there is an information vacuum in terms of what is going to happen next. I welcome the Minister's confirmation on current supports. In County Meath, 100 children and their parents will be seeking supports from preschool services come September. Even though the €3,000 per annum for providers of special needs assistant, SNA, support is inadequate, at least it is a defined budget in County Meath. In the neighbouring county of Louth, there is no defined budget for children with additional needs. Until now, the free preschool has not been free for all. Some parents of children with additional needs have had to assist providers to pay for SNA support, with parents in some counties required to pay the entire amount.
I welcome the Minister's confirmation about the supports currently available, but given we are only three months away from implementation of this initiative and there is a huge vacuum in terms of information about it, I am concerned whether the necessary level of trained staff across the 4,000 providers will be in place in time.
The Deputy also mentioned the vacuum of information. I hear him and will indicate to the Department that such is the case. I give the Deputy my commitment to do something about that.
I thank the Minister.
11. Deputy Fiona O'Loughlin asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs her plans to increase funding for youth workers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14822/16]
The question seeks from the Minister information regarding her plans to increase funding for youth workers and to make a statement on that matter. By way of background, current expenditure by the Department on youth work services decreased by 31.7% between 2008 and 2015. There is an enormous strain on youth services at a time when the needs of young people are growing and in the context of the expected 13% increase in youth numbers by 2021.
I am committed to the principle of fairness and would very much wish to allocate additional resources next year to the youth sector as the economy recovers. Any additional amount available will depend on the budgetary process in 2017. I will be closely involved in the decisions to be taken by Government in this regard.
My Department administers a range of funding schemes and programmes to support the provision of youth services by the voluntary youth sector to young people. The funding schemes support national and local youth work provision to 380,000 young people. The voluntary youth sector involves approximately 1,400 paid staff, including youth workers and 40,000 volunteers working in youth work services and communities.
Budget 2016 provided an additional €1.1 million in current youth funding to my Department, bringing the total allocation for youth services in 2016 to €51 million. This additional funding was a 2.5% increase over 2015. It will be used for programmes that target disadvantaged young people and to assist national youth organisations in their work to support local voluntary youth services.
Next week I expect to announce details of youth work projects that are to receive funding under the new €600,000 youth employment initiative. This initiative and other supports for vulnerable young people are priorities in my plans for the further development of youth work services in line with the programme for Government. It will target those young people aged 15 to 24 years who are most at risk of unemployment and who are not in education, employment or training. It will be provided to voluntary youth services to support the provision of innovative programmes for young people to enhance their employability skills and competencies. All my decisions on funding for youth services will be informed by the National Youth Strategy 2015-2020.
I acknowledge the 2% increase in funding in 2016. However, it is not enough. I look forward to the announcement next week on the provision of extra resources and supports for 15 to 25 year olds.
I draw the Minister's attention to the Indecon report of 2012 which estimated that for every €1 invested in youth work, the economic benefit to the State is €2.02. This helps to promote active citizenship and supports participation by young people in education and training. This investment also reduces long-term costs to the State in respect of health, justice and welfare services for young people, which is vitally important.
In County Kildare there are 77,832 people under 25 years of age, which is the highest youth population in the country. Kildare also has the highest birth rate in the country, yet it is the county in which investment in young people is the lowest. Does the Minister plan to increase funding for the various agencies and stakeholders that collaborate well together in terms of our vulnerable youth despite huge gaps in resources and funding?
I am a long-time advocate of cost-benefit analysis, particularly in the area of services to children and young people. I agree with the Deputy that early investment pays off in the long run. It is one of the best ways to try to bring about change in this area.
I would welcome the Deputy's input, and that of her colleague, Deputy Rabbitte, who is the Fianna Fáil spokesperson on children and youth affairs, in building a case for the areas of youth services that would benefit most in terms of the choices that have to made up to 2017.
I thank the Minister. Deputy Rabbitte and I are happy to work closely with her on this issue. I referred earlier to the excellent collaborative work, in particular by Newbridge Resource Centre and Teach Dara. Kildare has only three resource centres while Kerry has 13. It is clear that the money does not necessarily follow the demographic profile of a county. Kildare urgently needs investment in youth workers to help support the 40,000 volunteers about whom the Minister spoke. For example, yesterday we heard in a presentation from MOJO that it urgently requires resources and funding for those between 18 and 25 years, especially young men. While I welcome the Minister's commitment to collaboration and look forward to her announcements next week, will she commit to increased supports for existing organisations that need it?
I hope to. In fairness, that is the most I can say at this stage. On the Deputy's many points about Kildare, I recently travelled to Kerry to see some of the good work going on there. I would be delighted to go to Kildare.
We look forward to it.
