Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The QCBI, funded under the Dormant Account Fund, aims to take a co-ordinated approach to enhance capacity, knowledge and quality in prevention and early intervention for children, young people and their families. It focuses on those at risk of developing poor outcomes. At the core of the initiative is a desire to foster persistent curiosity among those working to improve the lives of children and young people.

The QCBI aims to support key groups working with children, young people and families to know what works, how it works and to provide an evidence-supported approach to the application of this work. The QCBI innovation fund, amounting to €2 million, was developed by my Department to support prevention and early intervention innovations that build on existing data and evidence. We aim to improve outcomes for children and young people aged up to 24 years who experience disadvantage. All proposals are expected to have a strong professional development and-or coaching and mentoring component.

Four applications were made from County Kildare: Foróige - the Strengthening Families programme for Kildare and west Wicklow; County Kildare Leader partnership - Mojo project to support young men; Kildare Youth Services and Curragh and Newbridge Garda youth diversion project; and Kilcullen community childcare and education centre - breakfast and afterschool service expansion.

Each individual application has been assessed against the transparent criteria outlined in the guidance document. The outcome of each application will depend on the quality and proposed impact of the initiative outlined in the application form, the ability of the measure to support diverse innovations across a range of community, contexts and practice areas and the number of quality proposals received. All the applications received under this funding measure have been assessed by an expert evaluation panel assigned by the Department. Our aim is to notify applicants by the end of this month.

See this speech in context