Ms Jacinta Swann:

I thank the Deputy very much. It was very useful for us when the Children’s Rights Alliance was forming the tender that Clarecare had an opportunity to feed into that. A lot of the elements of what went out to tender had elements of the Clarecare model, which I believe is fabulous. How the Children’s Rights Alliance managed that whole research piece to shape the elements of the tender was really inclusive and highly creative. Some of our parents did not want to answer the questionnaire but they find ways of linking with us so they could still participate in it. Even with the questions that were asked, our parents had opportunities to shape those questions to make them more accessible to other parents. I see at lot of the elements of the Clarecare system within the national model, which Barnardos are heading up at the moment. It is very important. There is also a service in Limerick and Tipperary, which have been there for a lot of years. There is a lot of learning between those three services that could be used to enhance any national model. As Ms Kneafsey and Ms Greene have said, initially if we can use the learning over this pilot phase, but also the learning from the services that have been there already, then I believe it will be a better service at the end. That is very important.

It is fabulous that it has moved from just little pockets of services to discussions on national advocacy. A lot of the initiatives proposed by Barnardos, such as the information, the workshops, the help-lines and all of that, will all benefit families in Clare. We get a lot of calls from around the country also. It is fabulous that this has even moved and that we are having these conversations about parents and services for parents of children in care. I hope this has answered the Deputy's question.