Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees
Thursday, 12 June 2025
Committee on Children and Equality
Priority Issues Facing the Department: Minister for Children, Disability and Equality
2:00 am
Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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That is the issue because it is not working as it stands, and that is the abiding guidance we are working under here. It is true to say, for example, that 30% of children can go through the entire very drawn-out process to be told at the end that they do not have a disability, but they have a need and the need has to be focused on at an earlier point. That is the motivation there.
In terms of foster carers, I absolutely agree and I said it earlier. We need to do more and more in that space because it suits children best and, therefore, significant efforts are being made to support foster carers. There is the new initial placement payment. A peer support programme is being introduced for new people coming into the system. There has been significant engagement in terms of meetings, both online and in person, by Tusla in this regard. I can point to the public advertising campaigns being run to bring more people into fostering. This is fostering month and the launch was held recently at Bloom. Reference was made earlier to pensions, back-to-school clothing, footwear allowances and so on. Those supports should be put in place as well.
In terms of the AIM and early learning and childcare, fundamentally early learning and childcare is so important.
Early learning and childcare is so important. The AIM model is equally important because it involves provision for children with additional needs to ensure they are catered for in the system. It has two aspects that involve either hiring an additional educator to work in the preschool room or operating with a reduced ratio. It is intended that there will be flexibility. There has been an extension to include supports for ECCE-age children by three hours per day and six hours per day out of term. We are looking consistently at the model. I am not saying anything is perfect but we will continue to look at that model to see that we do more and more because it is a singular grace mechanism at the minute in terms of ensuring children with additional needs are catered for in the setting.