Anne Rabbitte
Ceist:1078. Deputy Anne Rabbitte asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the estimated full-year cost of continuing the ABC programme. [3973/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraWednesday, 13 May 2020
Ceisteanna (1078)
Freagraí scríofa
The Area Based Childhood (ABC) Programme is a prevention and early intervention initiative targeting investment in effective services to improve the outcomes for children and families living in a number of specific areas of disadvantage.
DCYA is now the sole funder of the ABC Programme. In November 2017, my Department initiated a process, in consultation with key ABC Programme stakeholders, to consider options for sustaining the work of the ABC Programme within a new vision for a community based prevention and early intervention programme from 2019 and beyond. Following these consultations, the decision was taken to transfer the current ABC Programme to Tusla, from September 2019 as part of the national Prevention, Partnership and Family Support Programme (PPFS).
This transition has now taken place and the new national structure will build on the achievements to date in both the ABC and PPFS Programmes, and strengthen Tusla’s prevention and early intervention operations. As part of this national structure, it will take a renewed focus on addressing child poverty and inform the delivery of prevention and early intervention initiatives, improving the lives of children and families throughout Ireland.
The budget agreed for 2020 for the Prevention Programme in Tusla is €9.5m, approximately €8.2m of which is allocated to the ABC Programmes.