Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 1 May 2018
33. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the status of the implementation of the recommendations of the Economic and Social Research Institute, ESRI, report into the school completion programme; and the future status of the programme. [18606/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraWe are returning to a conversation we have had before around school completion programmes. Following the ESRI report and the Tusla commissioned employment audit, perhaps the Minister will give an update on the status of the school completion programme and her views on it.
I am very conscious that the school completion programme delivers a valuable service for some of our most vulnerable young people. However, the ESRI review referred to by the Deputy highlighted the need for a fit-for-purpose structure with effective governance and employment models in place.
With this in mind, the board of Tusla convened an expert panel to identify and examine a potential revised model of good practice and governance of the school completion programme.
The panel comprised an external legal expert, representation of the Tusla educational welfare service, finance, human resources and legal units, representatives from the Department of Children and Youth Affairs, the Department of Education and Skills and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. It was chaired by the Tusla CEO.
The expert panel has concluded its work. When I examined its findings, I decided to carry out some further discussions with a number of other stakeholders. To this end, I hosted a very informative school completion consultation event in Farmleigh House on 29 January 2018. Matters discussed included best practice and governance within the school completion programme. There was a range of views expressed as to how both these elements could be improved to ensure that the best service possible is delivered to those who need it. Following the Farmleigh event, I asked the facilitator of the day to do some additional work on a possible way forward, and I have received this input very recently.
I have deliberated carefully over this process for some time because the issues are complex and I want to achieve the best possible results for the young people who use the service and for the professionals who deliver it. I wish to see plans for the development of the school completion programme advanced in this quarter. I am very much aware of the positive outcomes that have been achieved in the school completion programme. For example, the proportion of students in DEIS schools who completed the senior cycle has increased from 68% in 2006-2007 to 82% by 2016. This illustrates the benefit of the programme.
I can assure the Deputy that my Department and the Tusla educational welfare service are fully committed to the future of the school completion programme and will continue to work to ensure that it will deliver the best possible outcomes for young people at risk of early school-leaving.
There is a lot to be taken from the Minister's reply. It is good to hear about the progress that has been made and the steps the Minister has taken. It is the reality that, for many reasons, there are children who find it difficult to stay in school. We know how important it is for a young person to stay in school for as long as possible. It is good that school principals were generally positive about the impact of school completion programmes and the staff involved. We can see how the programmes secure improved educational outcomes for young people. The Minister and I both come from constituencies where we can see the reality for those who do not stay in school and for those who do not engage in education. We are aware of the need for the extra supports that can go in there. In all the consultation that was held with those who deliver the programme, will the Minister clarify whether their voices were also heard? Did the people who deliver the programmes take part in the initial audit and the review with the various officials mentioned by the Minister?
I concur with everything Deputy O'Sullivan has said. Subsequent to the larger event to which I referred, I have been to a number of schools.
I always seek out the school completion co-ordinators to hear from them directly about any concerns they may have about their own position, the project workers, contract workers and sometimes teachers who work with them on the programme, how it is and the challenges principals and members of the board of management of the school see with governance issues that have been raised. I have been able to hear all those things first-hand in the context of a number of schools as we deliberate about the best way forward to reform the governance, the programmes that are offered, the services in the context of the educational welfare service and the challenges relating to the employment of the people who do the work.
I need to go back through the Minister's answer, look at the more recent developments from that event in Farmleigh at the end of January, and perhaps come back to the Minister on this. It is significant and central to the school completion programme that it is flexible, can address needs in an area and is not a rigid programme. I know there are certain parameters within that programme but it is good that there is movement outside it. The relationship between school completion programmes and the home school liaison officers is very important. I imagine we will come back to this once I look at the other events at Farmleigh and where it led.
I agree with the Deputy that it is important to look at this in the context of the education welfare officer's and the home school community liaison work, so that we move forward with a holistic view. I agree with the Deputy that the space for flexibility and innovation in the context of the delivery of the school completion programme is absolutely key. I know, within the context of Tusla's work with the school completion co-ordinators and programmes throughout the country, that they have worked very diligently to provide continuous professional development, working with school completion co-ordinators, some of which relates to focusing on that flexibility and space for innovation, while at the same time ensuring, having identified the needs in those particular communities, if they want and decide to use models of best practice, that that is also within their remit.
I inadvertently overlooked question No. 31.
