Written Answers Nos. 18-28
18. Deputy Sandra McLellan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if the required legislation for the establishment of the new child and family agency will be published in early July and will commence its address in the Dáil before the impending summer recess; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32585/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraFollowing a Government decision on the Heads of Child and Family Agency Bill in November last, work on the drafting of the Bill has been progressing in conjunction with the Office of Parliamentary Counsel and is at an advanced stage of preparation.
The establishment of the Child and Family Agency is central to the Government's reform programme in respect of child and family services. From its establishment the Agency will have service responsibility for Child welfare and protection services currently operated by the HSE including family support and alternative care services; Child and family-related services for which the HSE currently has responsibility including preschool inspections and domestic, sexual and gender-based violence services; The Family Support Agency which currently operates as a separate body under the Department of Children and Youth Affairs and will be merged into the new Agency; The National Educational Welfare Board which also currently operates as a separate body under the Department of Children and Youth Affairs and will be merged into the new Agency; Community-based psychology services (this does not encompass psychologists operating within acute, disability, mental health or other specialist settings).
The Child and Family Agency Bill will largely focus on the technical task of bringing together the functions of the three “source” agencies (the HSE, the Family Support Agency and the National Educational Welfare Board). Particular care is required in respect of the disaggregation of the functions from the HSE to ensure that there are no unintended consequences (for either the Agency or the Directorates remaining within the HSE framework) in the separation of functions, either in legal terms, or in terms of the practical operation of day-to-day services for children and their families or HSE clients across the life cycle.
A key task in drafting the legislation is to ensure that the Agency operates within a strong framework of public accountability. Other important features of the legislation relate to the need to create the correct platform for inter-agency arrangements, shared service arrangements and a robust process for the commissioning of services from a range of providers.
It is my intention to introduce the Bill to the Houses of the Oireachtas in this current session. When enacted the legislation will allow the Agency to assume full statutory responsibility for services for children and families, and to bring further cohesion to how these essential services are delivered.
20. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will provide a report of her Department's activities as part of the recent Presidency of the EU; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32602/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department led the work of the Council of Ministers for Youth during Ireland’s Presidency of the EU from January to June 2013.
The ambitious programme of work focussed on the social inclusion of young people which is the Trio Presidency theme (January 2013 – June 2014). My priorities related to the contribution of quality youth work to young people’s development, well-being and social inclusion and the potential contribution of youth work to youth employment.
Council Conclusions, adopted by the Education, Youth, Culture and Sport Council on 16 May 2013 propose actions that will maximise the potential of youth policy in addressing the goals of Europe 2020. A second set of Conclusions, also adopted, highlights the importance of quality youth work as a tool for engagement with, and development of, young people.
These conclusions include a concrete set of measures aimed at raising the profile of youth work at EU level and mainstreaming youth work into broader EU policy responses to youth employment and social inclusions. These include establishing a new EU expert group on quality youth work; strengthening the working relationship between the Council of Ministers and other Council of Minister configurations; mainstreaming youth policy input into the European Semester reporting process; recognition of centrality of youth work in contributing to the Europe 2020 growth and jobs agenda; recognition of the role of youth work in implementing the Youth Guarantee; greater coordination between EU youth policy and education, training and employment policies.
As a follow-up to these Conclusions, I hosted a two day informal expert roundtable on 20 and 21 June which considered the contribution of youth work to youth employment. The outcome of the meeting, the Dublin Declaration, recognises the challenges facing young people in Europe as a result of the lack of jobs and work experience, as well as the challenges posed by the widening gap between skills being sought by certain employers and those held by many prospective employees. It also recognises that youth work can play a highly-relevant role in developing young people's skill-sets, in particular with respect to ‘soft’ skills such as learning to learn, social and civic competence, leadership, communication, teamwork, and entrepreneurship – all of which are highly-valued and sought-after by employers. The Declaration in particular notes the centrality of the role of quality youth work in the implementation of the Youth Guarantee by Member States.
The EU Youth Council’s work programme under Ireland’s Presidency was informed by the findings of widespread consultations with young people. Over 11,000 young people and youth organisations throughout Member States participated in consultations across Europe on the theme of Social Inclusion.
The EU Youth Conference which I hosted in Dublin on 11-12 March 2013 was a flagship event of Ireland’s Presidency Programme. Almost 250 people from across the EU attended the Conference, including 109 young people and youth representatives and 65 Ministry officials participating in workshops. The Conference was organised by my Department in partnership with the National Youth Council of Ireland (NYCI). It was a major opportunity to showcase the talent and innovation of Ireland’s young people and the youth sector. Almost 100 young people were involved in supporting the Conference. They acted as volunteers and took on roles as guest MCs and speakers, and provided inputs through Arts and Drama presentations. Over the three days, some 25 information stands showcased the work underway in youth programmes in communities throughout the country.
The conclusions from this Conference informed Youth Ministers’ deliberations on quality youth work and will inform the structured dialogue consultations with young people during the Lithuanian and Greek Presidencies. The meeting of the Directors General for Youth hosted by my Department alongside the Conference explored the personal, social and economic impact of youth work.
The work undertaken under Ireland’s Presidency including the conclusions of the Ministers and the outcome of the expert group meeting provide the basis for an ambitious agenda which offers the potential to greatly enrich the European Union’s policy responses in the area supporting youth employment, in particular with respect to the potential of non-formal learning to reach out to those young people not in education, training and employment. My Department will continue to work with the Departments of Education, Social Protection, Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, to identify, in what ways, the youth sector can contribute to shared policy objectives to address youth employment and with European colleagues to progress this important agenda for Europe’s young people.
Also, as an associated Presidency event, I was pleased to support a conference on LGBT Youth and Social Inclusion which held in Croke Park on 17 June 2013. This event which was organised by BeLonG To brought together the main EU institutions and LGBT groups from Europe to discuss the areas of LGBT youth and education, employment, participation and rights and youth services. The conference was developed following findings from a Europe-wide consultation under the Irish Presidency which identified LGBT youth as one of the most socially excluded groups in Europe.
In the context of Ireland's Presidency, I should also note that I addressed the Confederation of Family Organisations of the European Union (COFACE) at their European Conference held in Dublin Castle in February to mark Ireland's EU Presidency. The Conference was brought to Dublin by the Irish Countrywomen's Association who are members of COFACE and was supported by the Department of Children and Youth Affairs. The conference theme was "Vulnerable Families - What can Europe Do?".
As part of my Department's EU Presidency programme I also launched the UNICEF Report Card in the Royal Hospital, Kilmainham, Dublin in April. Following the launch I hosted a high-level EU roundtable discussion on “Moving forward to promote children’s well-being”.
21. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs when allegations of abuse in crèche and preschool facilities were first brought to her attention; and the steps she took to deal with the matter. [32345/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department was first contacted by the "Prime Time" investigation programme on crèches on 20 February 2013 seeking information on the National Childcare Investment Programme which was implemented during 2006 to 2011. I understand a number of follow on queries regarding funding were received by my Department between then and 28 May. I was also aware around that time that RTE was planning to feature the area of childcare in a Primetime programme to be broadcast in May. I was not informed of the nature of the broadcast planned and I did not see any of the film footage until it was broadcast by RTE. As a result, I was unaware of the specific incidents until they were shown.
I understand that officials in the Health Service Executive (HSE) received separate complaints in relation to the services filmed for the Primetime programme but that there was no indication that these were linked to one another or to the forthcoming Primetime programme. The HSE responded to these complaints by commencing an investigation. I also understand that the HSE was shown some of the film footage in the days before it was broadcast and immediately went to the Garda who initiated the investigation which is now taking place.
I have already expressed my shock and distress at the scenes broadcast on this Primetime programme. I am working closely with the HSE to progress a number of immediate actions to strengthen the current inspection process. I am also continuing to work on a number of fronts to drive the quality agenda for preschool services, including increasing the qualification requirements for staff working in preschool services and increasing the supports available to services to implement the Síolta and Aistear quality frameworks.
23. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs her plans for a national cross-sectoral strategy for the establishment of a childhood obesity prevention and intervention service; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32578/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Government shares with many other agencies and professional groups, concerns about the growth and nutrition of children and teenagers. The factors associated with overweight and obesity in Irish children is complex and research suggests that a multidimensional approach is needed which crosses government departments and agencies and involves children and families and community organisations working with statutory and voluntary sector.
Obesity - the policy challenges: The report of the National Taskforce on Obesity was published by the Department of Health in 2005 and remains the guided document for work in this area. My colleague the Minister for Health, has established a Special Advisory Group on Obesity to advise on implementation of the report and this group has representation from my own Department. One of their current projects involves a media campaign on preventing childhood obesity developed with Safe Food, the HSE, the Department of Health and my own Department, which is scheduled to take place in the autumn. Other work of the group includes technical support for providing calorie content information for small restaurant / coffee shop owners, to facilitate young people in making health choices.
It is widely accepted by researchers that there is a strong link between physical activity and being overweight, habits formed in youth tend to carry into adulthood. The Growing Up in Ireland study also clearly confirms this finding. Young people who took more exercise were less likely to be overweight or obese, especially in comparison to those who never exercised.
As Minister for Children and Youth Affairs I have responsibility for Play and Recreation Policy which have been set out in the policy documents, 'Ready, Steady, Play! A National Play Policy' and the 'National Recreation Policy for Young People', which seeks to actively promote the participation of children and young people in play and exercise, which is an effective way of helping them maintain a healthy weight.
In February 2012, I established the Local Authority Play and Recreation Network (LAPRN). This national network has been established to introduce a more coordinated and interagency approach to achieving the main goals of the play and recreation policies at both national and local level. An early achievement of the network has been the development and expansion of National Recreation Week which took place recently and National Play Day which is due to take place this month. Targeted grants are provided to Local Authorities by my Department to encourage participation across the Local Authority Network. This year saw the largest ever participation with all counties staging popular events.
24. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will set out and provide details on the process for the selection of the sites, programmes, interventions, and supports to be provided under the new area based approach to the child poverty initiative in 2013. [32593/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department is implementing the new Area-Based Response to Child Poverty programme which was announced as part of Budget 2013. The programme is being co-funded by The Atlantic Philanthropies and is expected to have a total funding allocation of €29.7 million. The programme is being introduced on foot of the Programme for Government commitment to adopt an area-based approach to child poverty, drawing on best international practice and existing services to break the cycle of child poverty where it is most deeply entrenched and improve the outcomes for children and young people. The programme will build on and continue much of the work of the Prevention and Early Intervention Programme (PEIP) which was also implemented by my Department and co-funded by The Atlantic Philanthropies.
The three existing PEIP sites and at least three additional sites are expected to participate in the new programme. In addition, it is my intention to broaden the impact of the programme by beginning the process of mainstreaming some of the evidence-based programmes which have been positively evaluated and are cost-effective. The establishment of my Department's new Child and Family Agency later this year will be important to this process.
Applications to participate in the programme were invited from interested not for profit consortia earlier this year. The closing date for receipt of applications was 31 May and fifty applications were received. The current priority has been to transition appropriate activities funded under PEIP into the new initiative, and this has been progressed as a matter of urgency. It is hoped that agreement will be reached with the 3 sites concerned shortly regarding their initial activities and funding under the programme. It is hoped that this will be approved by Government later this month.
Twenty six further applications have been prioritised for evaluation based primarily on the level of disadvantage in their areas, and also the child population expected to be impacted, and these will be evaluated in the period July-September by a Working Group led by my Department, using criteria set out in the application process. An Interdepartmental Project Team, chaired by my Department, will consider these applications, and make proposals to Government in October for funding under Phase 1 of the initiative.
The remaining twenty-one proposals will be evaluated in the period October 2013 - January 2014, and where appropriate, good proposals made in this cohort, along with any good proposals which narrowly missed funding under Phase 1, will be considered for funding under Phase 2 of the initiative.
25. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs when the early years strategy will be brought forward; the reason for the delay in this happening; the financial package that will accompany same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32572/13]
Amharc ar fhreagra32. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the part the implementation of the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act 2004 will play in the early years strategy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32574/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 25 and 32 together.
My Department is currently developing a new Children and Young People's Policy Framework which will set out high level goals for both my own and other Departments for the next five years. The Policy Framework is expected to be published later this year and will build on Our Children - Their Lives, Ireland's first Children's Strategy which was published in 2000. This is relevant to the Early Years Strategy as the Strategy is one of three, more detailed strategies which will be developed under the Framework.
The Early Years Strategy, which will be Ireland's first ever national strategy for early years, is under development. It is expected that it will cover a range of issues affecting children in their first years of life such as child health and well-being, parenting and family support, learning and development, play and recreation and early childhood care and education. The Strategy will further recognise the economic imperative and benefits accruing from targeted investment in early years interventions.
Key issues to be addressed in the Strategy include the further development of early childhood care and education programmes; the need to enhance quality provision, curricular support; and workforce capacity in early years services; support and regulation of the childminding sector; and the future development of early intervention, therapeutic and family support services to support young children and their parents.
The Strategy will bring together and consider a significant amount of international and domestic research on the importance of early years for child development, including findings from the "Growing Up in Ireland" study. It will also be informed by the evaluations from the Prevention and Early Intervention Projects which have been funded jointly by my Department and philanthropic organisations, as well as an analysis of existing service provision and associated resources. The major programme of institutional change which is currently underway, including the establishment of the Child and Family Agency, will also be taken into account.
The results of a public consultation, undertaken as part of the development of the Children and Young People Policy Framework, is currently being analysed and will inform both the Framework and the Early Years Strategy.
I have appointed an Expert Advisory Group, chaired by Dr. Eilis Hennessy, Head of School of Psychology at UCD, to advise on the preparation of the Strategy. The Group comprises external experts from a range of specialties, including paediatrics, early childhood care and education, child protection and public health nursing and is continuing to meet on a regular basis. I have met the Expert Advisory Group on a number of occasions, and I am very satisfied with the progress being made in developing Ireland's first Early Years Strategy.
While supports for children with special needs will form part of the discussions of the Expert Advisory Group, the implementation of the EPSEN Act is a matter for the Department of Education and Skills.
I expect the Early Years Strategy to be published before the end of the year.
26. Deputy John Browne asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs her plans for a second free preschool year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32352/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe free Preschool Year in Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme was introduced in January 2010 and provides a free preschool year to all eligible children in the year before commencing primary school. In line with the Programme for Government, my Department has made a significant commitment to maintaining this universal programme and some 68,000 children are availing of it at this time. The programme is expected to cost in the region of €175 million this year.
I am aware of the need to further develop the early childhood care and education sector. However, any development that involves further preschool provision would require considerable additional funding. I am also very conscious that work is continuing on improvement of quality within the preschool year. All of the available evidence indicates that the quality of the provision is key to good outcomes for children. In particular, I would like to see further progress in workforce development within the sector given the demands which expansion would place on the current pool of trained staff.
Future developments relating to early years care and education are being considered in the context of the National Early Years Strategy.
27. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the measures and strategies she is considering, including in conjunction with other Departments and-or State agencies to help address the issue of youth unemployment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32583/13]
Amharc ar fhreagra249. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the extent to which her Department continues to monitor the issue of youth unemployment with particular reference to the creation of the necessary training, upskilling or educational options available or likely to become available; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32837/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 27 and 249 together.
The Government is tackling unemployment generally through the twin strategies of the Action Plan for Jobs and Pathways to Work and other measures to support employment growth. My Department works closely with the Departments of Education and Skills, Social Protection, Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation and others as part of a cross departmental effort to realise these Government objectives.
Youth unemployment is a particular concern because of the prospects it holds for young people themselves, their personal development and for social inclusion. The Government has a range of measures in place to tackle youth unemployment and these include programmes and initiatives in education, training, job search assistance/ work experience and to encourage job creation.
Through the Action Plan for Jobs, my Department is progressing work in relation to actions outlined for my Department and is firmly committed to maximising the role the youth sector can play in this area. There is growing recognition in Ireland and across Europe of the potential of youth work services to enhance employability of young people. In particular, recent European policy developments suggest that youth work has the potential to do more and has a special relevance for those young people who are marginalised from traditional systems of education, employment and training.
Ireland’s EU Youth Presidency Programme sought to maximise the potential of youth policy in addressing the goals of the Europe 2020 Strategy and aimed to highlight how youth policy, as expressed through quality youth work and youth activities, can do more to enhance a range of life skills including employability. Council Conclusions, adopted by the Education, Youth, Culture and Sport Council at their meeting on 16 May 2013, which I chaired, propose actions to maximise the potential of youth policy in addressing the goals of Europe 2020, in particular youth employment. A second set of Conclusions, also adopted, highlight the importance of quality youth work as a tool for engagement with, and development of, young people. EU Youth Ministers further reaffirmed the relevance of quality youth work in contributing to measures to enhance the employability of young people, in particular those not engaged in education, employment or training.
As a follow-up to these Conclusions, I hosted a two day informal expert roundtable on the 20 and 21 June which considered the contribution of youth work to youth employment. The outcome of the meeting, the Dublin Declaration, recognises the challenges facing young people in Europe as a result of the lack of jobs and work experience, as well as the challenges posed by the widening gap between skills being sought by certain employers and those held by many prospective employees. It recognises that youth work offers a significant infrastructure, reach and capacity, outside of formal education and training; and therefore can play a highly-relevant role in developing young people's skill-sets, in particular with respect to ‘soft’ skills such as learning to learn, social and civic competence, leadership, communication, teamwork, and entrepreneurship – all of which are highly-valued and sought-after by employers. The Declaration notes the centrality of the role of quality youth work in the implementation of the Youth Guarantee by Member States.
The Conclusions of the Ministers and the outcome of the expert group meeting provide the basis for an ambitious agenda which can greatly enrich the national and European Union’s policy responses to youth employment. My Department is working closely with the Departments of Education, Social Protection and Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, to identify, in what ways, the youth sector can contribute to these shared policy objectives, in particular with respect to the potential of non-formal learning to reach out to those young people not in education, training and employment and to measures to implement the Youth Guarantee. The National Youth Work Advisory Committee, whose members include representatives of voluntary youth work organisations, is also considering issues to do with progressing this important agenda for our young people.
28. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the measures she will introduce to bring current child care regulations into line with the standards that all service-user parents, and Irish society generally, expect; the staffing levels, training and oversight requirements she proposes to apply; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32580/13]
Amharc ar fhreagra38. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she has pressed, or will press, for the publication of all Health Service Executive inspection reports on child care facilities completed over the past three years; when the publication of said reports on completion will come into effect as standard practice; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32579/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 28 and 38 together.
Preschool services are governed by the Child Care (Preschool Services) (No 2) Regulations 2006 as provided for under the Child Care Act 1991. Preschool inspections, which are the responsibility of the Health Service Executive (HSE), are necessary to ensure compliance with the Regulations and the delivery of quality childcare services.
In relation to the publication of preschool service inspection reports, the HSE Preschool Inspectorate is working to put these online. In the first instance the reports will be available from the Pobal website via a direct link on the HSE website. A commitment has been given to place new reports, once completed, online from 1 July 2013. I understand that the first of these will be placed online in the coming days. Work is ongoing to have reports on all services online by the end of the year and my Department is supporting the HSE and Pobal in this work.
I have identified a number of key areas of action which I believe need to be considered and addressed as a matter of urgency. These include introducing a registration system for all school services; taking steps to make the inspection system more consistent and more robust; publishing inspection reports on-line as soon as possible; ensuring appropriate action is taken in response to findings of non-compliance; increasing and widening the sanctions which can be taken for non-compliance.
My Department is also undertaking a review of the penalties currently in place for breach of the Child Care Regulations. The review will look at increasing the range and severity of the existing penalties including the actions which can be taken by Inspectors without recourse to court prosecution, as is currently the case.
It is important to realise, however, that inspections alone are not the answer to improving and maintaining quality. What is required is a multifaceted approach. The Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme introduced the first-ever requirement for minimum qualifications for staff working in the childcare sector. At present, this requirement is limited to the preschool leader delivering the preschool year and the level of qualification is minimum Level 5 on the National Framework of Qualifications of Ireland (NFQ). I believe it is important to introduce qualification requirements for all staff working in preschool services. For this reason, I have indicated my intention to increase the minimum requirement of Level 5 for preschool leaders delivering the preschool year will be increased to Level 6 and to require all preschool assistants and all other staff caring for children in a preschool service to hold a minimum qualification of Level 5. These new requirements will apply from September 2014 for new services, and from September 2015 for existing services.
As Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, driving the early childhood care and education quality agenda is one of my key objectives. I believe we can achieve this objective by taking a number of steps including working with the Department of Education and Skills to develop a more comprehensive and broadly-based inspection regime for preschools.
I am also looking at ways to further support the implementation of the Siolta and Aistear frameworks in preschool services. The successful implementation of the Frameworks on a nation-wide level will require all childcare practitioners to have a thorough understanding of quality early years provision and I welcome the fact that the Department of Education and Skills is looking at developing a more accessible practice manual to assist preschool services in implementing Síolta and Aistear.
