Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 19 October 2022
146. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if his attention has been drawn to the mental health survey carried out by an organisation (details supplied); if so, if he will provide details of the findings of the survey; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52201/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am aware of the survey referred to. Promotion and dissemination of the survey is a matter for the organisation in question.
I would also like to inform the Deputy that extensive supports are provided to providers through City/County Childcare Committees (CCCs) and Pobal. Very high volumes of services avail of this one-to-one support.
There is also extensive and ongoing engagement between provider representative groups, DCEDIY and Pobal, most recently in preparation for the introduction of Core Funding, which allowed providers issues to be raised and addressed and also in the context of Covid-19 and the Ukraine humanitarian crisis.
During the period of Covid-19, a Covid-19 telephone helpline was made available by CCCs including over weekends. In addition, well-being advice and supports organised by the HSE were brought to the attention of early years educators and school age childcare practitioners.
More recently, during 2022, my Department has organised a series of webinars on well-being for early years educators and school age childcare practitioners, as well as supports on trauma-informed practice, particularly in the context of the additional pressures arising for staff from the arrival of Ukrainian refugee children in services. The webinars remain available on the First 5 website that is managed by my Department.
