Ms Caroline Canton:

I agree. I am well aware of Triple P and Parents Plus. As the Senator heard this morning, these are excellent programmes. They are two of a very wide range of programmes that are appropriate for our families. The children coming to our teams have a great range of complex difficulties. They are also aged from birth to 18, so there are strong evidence-based programmes for parents and children that we want our teams to be able to deliver. That would be our approach.

A few months ago, I collected feedback from parents.

I collected it from the teams but it was feedback that they had got from parents on courses and programmes that they had attended. It was overwhelmingly positive and I was quite surprised by it. One parent said that a course was very helpful and useful. They said that before doing the course they would have done things so much differently and after doing the course everything they do has a reason and a goal. That feedback was from a parent who did a Hanen course.

I got more feedback from a parent who did a Sleep Tight programme, which is an evidence-based programme on getting children to sleep through the night. Anybody who has children knows that is fundamental. One participant said that all aspects of the course worked for them. They said the format, delivery, length and timing, diary and bedtime routine all worked. They said they could not recommend the course highly enough and that after 13 years of no sleep, the family were all finally sleeping thanks to the course. I could go on. There are transition to school groups, preparing for adulthood groups and gym groups for youngsters with physical disabilities. There is so much on which the teams are reaching out. I am so impressed because I have talked to a lot of people on the ground. Deputy Ellis mentioned how well the teams group are doing and the ingenuity of staff in the face of huge demand is very creditable.