Written Answers Nos. 1-14
6. Deputy Billy Timmins asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the position regarding an adoption agreement between Ireland and Russia; the concerns the authorities in Russia have raised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35732/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraEfforts are ongoing in my Department in relation to a bilateral agreement on intercountry adoption between Ireland and the Russian Federation. Following a meeting with a delegation of Russian officials in October 2013 my Department prepared revised draft wording on a number of specific points. This was forwarded to the Russian Authorities in February 2014. In transmitting these revisions it was suggested that should these revisions be acceptable to the Russian Federation, it would be useful for both sides to meet again for further discussions.
In April the Ministry of Education and Science advised the Irish Embassy in Moscow that all proposed adoption agreements were on hold while the Russian Government considered proposals in relation to how they deal with adoption agreements in general.
The Embassy has recently advised that a reply from the Russian authorities to my Department's revised wording is expected shortly. Once received it will be reviewed so that next steps can be taken.
I have recently met with Maria Hunt of the Russian Irish Adoption Group to update them on the current situation with regard to discussions on a possible bilateral adoption agreement with Russia.
7. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he will provide the number of voluntary and private residential child care centres in Dublin North-East; the number of young persons in each of these centres; and the budget allocation for each centre. [35436/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Child and Family Agency has a statutory duty under the Child Care Act 1991 and the Child and Family Agency Act, 2013, to promote the welfare of children who are not receiving adequate care and protection. Depending on the nature of the individual circumstances, a child may be received into the care of the State. At the end of July 2014, there were 6,466 children in care.
The majority - 93% - of children in care are placed in foster care with a family. Where a foster care placement is unsuitable, children may be placed in a children's residential centre. There were 339 children placed in children's residential centres at the end of July 2014. Children's residential centres can be operated directly by the Agency or by a private or voluntary provider on behalf of the Agency. A child is placed in a private residential centre when no suitable Child and Family Agency placement is available and the placement has been assessed as meeting the needs of the child. Children with more complex and challenging needs are generally placed in private residential centres.
Nationally, at the end of July 2014, 163 children in residential care were placed in private residential centres, 38 of whom were in private residential centres in Dublin North East. I am advised by the Agency that in February 2014, there were 63 Private Residential Child Care Centres in operation throughout the country. 21 of these were based in the Dublin North East Region. I have asked the Agency for up to date information in relation to this Region and I will arrange for this to be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as it is available.
The Agency undertook a tendering process in 2013 for the provision of private residential placements. All Private Children's Residential Providers are now subject to contract. The Agency advised that approximately 91 places in 23 centres operated by 9 providers will be subject to a block-book contract at € 4,500 per week per place. This is a reduction from the previous average cost of €5,000 per week prior to tendering process. The value of the tender is €23.6 million.
The Agency advised that the number of placements procured is less than what is used from the private sector at any one time so the Agency does not pay for beds that are not used. This means the Agency "spot purchase" a number of beds over and above what is procured on a block basis.
All private children's residential centres who were not awarded or did not enter the block-book element of the tender will also be considered as approved providers for "spot purchased" placements. These "spot purchased" placements are now governed for the first time ever by an approved provider system. 136 places are available in 40 centres operated by 17 approved providers who were not part of the above tender process, should these placements be required by the Agency. These providers are contracted to provide placements in this manner and costs only arise when a child is placed in one of these placements. The cost of each child's placement will vary according to the identified needs of the individual child and cannot be qualified, though the base cost is generally €5,000 per week.
9. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he will ensure that the terms of reference of the mother and baby home inquiry operate similar to the institutional abuse inquiry in Northern Ireland where a survivor from any institution may contact the inquiry and be heard. [35432/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Government has undertaken to establish a Commission of Investigation into the concerns that have arisen in relation to Mother and Baby Homes. The decision to establish a Commission of Investigation into these matters received the unanimous endorsement of this House on the 11th June. Since this date, considerable progress has been achieved in advancing the necessary legislative and operational arrangements required to establish a statutory investigation. It is my intention to come back to both Houses during this Dáil term with a draft resolution to establish the Commission.
The specific matters to be investigated and the appropriate range of methodologies to be utilised are being considered as part of Government’s deliberations on the Commission. The broad range of issues and concerns raised with my Department with regard to the proposed Commission's terms of reference are being given consideration in arriving at an overall scope for the Commission which is workable and effective.
One of the key conclusions of the Inter-Departmental report published on the 16th July was that an opportunity for those who were mothers or children in Mother and Baby Homes to input their experiences should be developed. This is recognised as requiring considerable and careful planning taking account of previous learning from similar processes in earlier investigations. It is important that any such process should be as sensitive and non-adversarial as possible, consistent with the requirements of natural justice and the provisions of the Commission of Investigation Act 2004. As the Commission will be addressing matters which touch on areas of great personal sensitivity it will be necessary that appropriate protocols be adopted which protect the confidentiality of sensitive personal information.
More generally, our approach should have regard to the facts established through recent inquiries into related institutions, and the general experience gained in conducting similar investigations into matters of public importance. Establishing an investigation which is capable of delivering on public expectations and effectively addressing these important matters in a sensitive and timely manner must be our primary concern.
10. Deputy Billy Timmins asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the input he has into children's education; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35733/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy is aware, my Department recently launched Better Outcomes, Brighter Futures, the first overarching national policy framework which comprehends the age ranges of children and young people 0 – 24 years. Better Outcomes, Brighter Futures is a cross-government strategy aimed at ensuring that all children and young people get the best possible foundation in learning and development, are engaged in education, and are supported to achieve their full potential in all areas of learning and development.
The Minister for Education and Skills has overall responsibility for policy, funding and direction, with regard to the education of children.
My Department supports the Department of Education and Skills in implementing its responsibility in a number of ways.
As regards the pre-school period, my Department funds the Early Childhood Care and Education programme at an annual cost of some €175 million enabling almost 70,000 children to avail of a free pre-school year, which benefits children's educational and developmental outcomes. Funding is provided by my Department to support a number of key childcare programmes which support the provision of early childhood care and education for more than 100,000 children each year and to assist their parents to avail of job opportunities.
Improving quality is critical to improving of educational outcomes for children. The two Departments continue to collaborate on the quality agenda for Early Years Services. Indeed the fact that the Early Years Education Policy Unit of the Department of Education and Skills is co-located with my Department in Mespil Road is testament to the close working relationship.
My Department supports quality in pre-school education in a number of ways. These include funding voluntary organisations to carry out the field testing of the Síolta Quality Assurance Programme and the roll out of the Aistear in Action projects, incentivising higher qualifications through the criteria for funding attaching to the free pre-school year, and, most recently, the introduction of new qualification requirements for staff in child care settings and financial support for staff to achieve those qualifications.
In respect of primary and secondary level pupils, the Child and Family Agency assists the Department of Education and Skills in a number of ways.
The functions and operational responsibilities of the former National Educational Welfare Board (NEWB) are now part of the new Child and Family Agency. Since 1st January 2014 the staff of the former NEWB, including its Education Welfare Officers, have transferred to the new Agency.
The three service strands formerly under the remit of NEWB collectively form the Educational Welfare Services of the new Agency. These are:
- The Education Welfare Service, which has specific responsibility for the Agency’s general function to ensure that each child attends a recognised school or otherwise receives a certain minimum education,
- The Home School Community Liaison Programme, which has 402 school-based co-ordinators; and
- The School Completion Programme which has a €24 m budget and provides support to 124 locally managed projects and related initiatives operating across 470 primary and 224 post-primary schools and providing targeted supports to approximately 36,000 children and young people.
I am confident that this Government's decision to amalgamate the educational welfare functions formerly assigned to the National Educational Welfare Board, into the Child and Family Agency will provide opportunities for more effective working amongst the range of professionals involved in directly supporting children and their families.
The Children Detention Schools in Oberstown, provide education facilities to children detained there by the courts. Educational Services are delivered to the children by the Dublin and Dún Laoghaire Education and Training Board based on an education strategy agreed with the Irish Youth justice Service operating in my Department. The Inspectorate within the Department of Education and Skills carries out inspections of these services.
13. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs his views on the operation of the Young People's Facilities and Services Fund; his further views on the need for continuous monitoring of the fund to ensure it reaches its target groups. [35435/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department administers a range of funding schemes and programmes to support the provision of youth services to young people throughout the country including those from disadvantaged communities. In 2014, funding of €49.78 m has been provided to my Department for these schemes.
From within this budget, my Department provides funding to projects under the Young People's Facilities and Services Fund. Some 230 projects are supported under the Fund. They are located in disadvantaged areas where a significant drug problem exists or has the potential to develop. The objective is to attract “at risk” young people into facilities and activities and divert them away from the dangers of substance abuse. In 2014, the allocation for the Young People’s Facilities and Services Fund is €18.4 m.
The projects funded report on an on-going basis to my Department and they are linked with the Education and Training Boards in their respective areas in the context of overall youth funding at local level. The projects provide annual progress reports on their activities and audited accounts to my Department. The youth projects and services also provide a progress report on their engagement with the National Quality Standards Framework for youth work on an annual basis to my Department.
The Young People’s Facilities and Services Fund is one of three schemes administered by my Department that target young people who are “at risk” because they live in disadvantaged communities and they are vulnerable to drugs, alcohol misuse, or they are out of school, or at risk of homelessness. Together the Young People’s Facilities and Services Fund, the Special Projects for Youth and Local Drug Task Force schemes account for 70% of the funding available to my Department for the provision of youth services. In 2014, almost €34 m was allocated to the schemes.
My Department has recently completed a Value for Money and Policy Review of the schemes. The review makes recommendations for the future operation of the schemes that will shape their development in the years ahead to ensure quality effective, value for money services that are evidence based and designed to secure the best outcomes for young people. The review includes recommendations about governance processes that will improve oversight of how well the schemes are meeting their objectives for vulnerable young people.
I am currently considering the review's findings and recommendations and my Department is making arrangements for its publication at an early date. I intend that the recommendations of the review will be progressed in the context of the new National Youth Strategy that is being developed by my Department. The National Youth Strategy will be a strategy for all young people aged 10-24 years and it will have particular regard to young people experiencing or at risk of experiencing the poorest outcomes and in most need of support. The strategy will be informed by the recommendations of the Value for Money and Policy Review as to how best the youth services may be developed for the future to meet the needs of this cohort of young people and improve the prospects of securing improved developmental outcomes for them. It is anticipated that the new National Youth Strategy will be completed by the end of this year.
