Tom Fleming (Kerry South, Independent)
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To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will provide representation to the family resource centres on the family services committee currently being developed in acknowledgement of the vital and outstanding work that they are carrying out. [36989/12]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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The Family Support Agency, under my Department, operates the Family Resource Centre Programme. The aim of the Family Resource Centre Programme is to combat disadvantage and improve the functioning of the family unit. There are 107 family resource centres throughout the country funded under the programme. I understand that 12 FRCs have been established in Kerry under the Family Support Agency (FSA) programme.

The centres provide a range of services for families and groups at local level. These include information, education and training opportunities, childcare, breakfast, homework and after school clubs and services for young people at risk of substance abuse, for which funding is provided under programmes administered by several government departments and agencies. Family Resource Centres have an important role to play, in harnessing local community efforts, in support of improved outcomes for children and young people which is a key objective of the Department of Children and Youth Affairs.

Since the inception in September 2010 of the Kerry Children’s Services Committee (CSC), the Kerry Network of Family Resource Centres has, in recognition of the valuable work they undertake at community level with children, young people and families, been represented on the Kerry CSC. You may also wish to note that the Kerry CSC has established 7 Working Groups: and that FRCs are at present represented and engaged in working on 3 of these working groups: Parenting & Family Learning, Youth Mental Health; Young People at Risk.