Results 821-840 of 7,359 for speaker:Katherine Zappone

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Children in Care (24 May 2016)

Katherine Zappone: Under the Child Care Act, 1991 and the Child and Family Agency Act 2013, Tusla, the Child and Family Agency has a duty to promote the welfare of children who are not receiving adequate care or protection. When a child cannot live with their parents and is received into care, it is Tusla policy to place them in care settings, preferably in foster care, as close as possible to their home and...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Youth Cafés Provision (24 May 2016)

Katherine Zappone: In some recent years capital funding has been made available to my Department for the development of youth café facilities. Youth Cafés offer young people a safe, alcohol and drug free space, for recreation, non-formal learning and youth activities and they make an important contribution to facilities for young people at local level. Recent research undertaken by my Department...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Services (25 May 2016)

Katherine Zappone: I propose to take Questions Nos. 357 and 358 together. Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, has statutory responsibility for the care and protection of victims of domestic, sexual or gender based violence whether in the context of the family or otherwise. At all times, Tusla’s key priority is to ensure that the needs of victims of domestic and sexual violence are being met in the best...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: School Completion Programme (25 May 2016)

Katherine Zappone: The School Completion Programme aims to retain young people in the formal education system to completion of senior cycle and to generally improve the school attendance, participation and retention of young people who are risk of educational disadvantage. The programme is a targeted intervention aimed at school communities identified through the Department of Education and Skills’ DEIS...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Services (25 May 2016)

Katherine Zappone: As the Deputy will appreciate, it would not be appropriate for me to comment on an individual case. I have referred the information provided by the Deputy to the Child and Family Agency for a direct reply.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Youth Services Funding (25 May 2016)

Katherine Zappone: My Department administers a range of funding schemes and programmes to support the provision of youth services by the voluntary youth sector, to young people throughout the country including those from disadvantaged communities. The funding schemes support national and local youth work provision to some 380,000 young people. The voluntary youth sector involves approximately 1,400 paid staff,...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Childhood Care and Education (25 May 2016)

Katherine Zappone: In Budget 2016, my Department announced a significant expansion to pre-school provision under the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme. This measure, which will be introduced from September 2016, means that children will be eligible to start free pre-school when they reach the age of 3, and continue to avail of free pre-school until they start primary school (once the child is...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Childhood Care and Education (25 May 2016)

Katherine Zappone: In November 2015, a new model for supporting children with a disability to access the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme was launched. The Access and Inclusion Model (AIM) is a cross-Government initiative, led by the Department of Children and Youth Affairs, and involving the Department of Health, the Department of Education and Skills and others. The model will deliver...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Childhood Care and Education (25 May 2016)

Katherine Zappone: It is a requirement of the Early Childhood care and Education Scheme (ECCE) programme that all pre-school year leadershold an appropriate qualification at a minimum of Level 7 and pre-school assistants hold a Level 5 on the National Framework of Qualifications of Ireland in order to be paid the higher capitation rate. From September 2016, the rules regarding the payment of the higher...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Childhood Care and Education (25 May 2016)

Katherine Zappone: From September 2016 Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) capitation rates will be restored to pre-2012 levels (i.e. €64.50 standard capitation fee and €75 higher capitation fee per child per week). Also from September 2016, the rules regarding the payment of the higher capitation rate are to be amended. The amended rules will allow Higher Capitation to be paid per room,...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Childhood Care and Education (25 May 2016)

Katherine Zappone: Síolta, the National Quality Framework for Early Childhood Education, was developed by the Centre for Early Childhood Development and Education (CECDE) in partnership with the early childhood sector and on behalf of the Department of Education and Skills. It was published in 2006. Síolta is designed to define, assess and support the improvement of quality across all aspects of...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Social Workers Recruitment (25 May 2016)

Katherine Zappone: I have been informed by Tusla that the 2017 cost of employing a social worker is €49,188 per annum.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Staff (25 May 2016)

Katherine Zappone: My officials have requested the information from Tusla and I will forward the reply to the Deputy once I have been furnished with it.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Area Based Childhood Programme (25 May 2016)

Katherine Zappone: The ABC programme is a joint prevention and early intervention initiative led by the Department of Children and Youth Affairs and the Atlantic Philanthropies. It is a time-bound, co-funding arrangement in the amount of €29.7m from 2013 to 2017. The aim of the ABC Programme is to test and evaluate prevention and early intervention approaches to improve outcomes for children, and...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Area Based Childhood Programme (25 May 2016)

Katherine Zappone: The ABC programme is a joint prevention and early intervention initiative led by the Department of Children and Youth Affairs and the Atlantic Philanthropies. It is a time-bound, co-funding arrangement in the amount of €29.7m from 2013 to 2017. The aim of the ABC Programme is to test and evaluate prevention and early intervention approaches to improve outcomes for children, and...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Expenditure (25 May 2016)

Katherine Zappone: As this is an operational matter, I have asked Tusla - the Child and Family Agency to respond directly to the Deputy with the most up-to-date information.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Data (25 May 2016)

Katherine Zappone: Tusla, the Child and Family Agency is still in the process of compiling the detailed information requested by the Deputy and will respond as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Family Support Services (25 May 2016)

Katherine Zappone: Family support centres provide a range of activities that strengthen positive informal social networks through community based programmes and services. The main focus of services is on early intervention aiming to promote and protect the health, well-being of children, young people and their families. Tusla has advised that it is aware of the Family Support Centre referred to by the...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Costs (26 May 2016)

Katherine Zappone: Issues relating to the Workplace Relations Commission and au pair contracts are a matter for the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation. The Department of Children and Youth Affairs (DCYA) is not aware of whether the Workplace Relations Commission decision will reduce the numbers of families who rely on au pairs for their child-minding requirements. In relation to the provision of...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Funding (31 May 2016)

Katherine Zappone: The information sought by the Deputy has been requested from the Child and Family Agency and I will respond directly to the Deputy when the information is received.