Kathleen Funchion (Carlow-Kilkenny, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I have a query around the school completion programme. I am a big advocate of that programme and I believe that it does not get enough recognition. The programme takes in a lot of children who otherwise may not be deemed suitable to access other services, such as children with mild learning difficulties or those with anxiousness around school. I know the programme has had many funding cuts over the last years and it has already been operating on a shoestring budget. What plans, if any, has Tusla for expanding or enhancing that service or is there any way of increasing funding to that programme? What can this committee do to support it? I believe that the school completion programme does not get enough recognition and it does a lot of valuable work.

My next query is similar to Deputy Jan O'Sullivan's question. What role can schools play in helping children who suffer from anxiety, even at primary school level? There is a huge increase in this and, with all due respect to teachers, I do not believe they understand the level of worry that some children have when coming in to school. It could be considered a minor thing, but it is a major deal to the children. The school where my own two children go, for example, does a lot of work on mindfulness. The school has mindfulness Tuesdays when there is no homework and pupils have to do an activity that is not related to technology. It is a small thing but those kinds of steps get children talking about it. Do the witnesses have any experiences or examples of that?

I support Ms McCafferty's point on the home school community liaison, HSCL, teachers not being social workers and counsellors. This is an excellent point. They are already doing a very difficult job and they should not be asked to take on that role.