Results 4,581-4,600 of 7,359 for speaker:Katherine Zappone

Other Questions: Domestic Violence Refuges Provision (4 Jul 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I will accept the Deputy's invitation. As I have already indicated, Tusla is conducting a needs analysis. I appreciate what the Deputy has said about her particular region. I want to put on record we will have further specific plans in place by the end of the year. I confirm that five additional family accommodation units will be available in the Dublin area in early 2018. This is with...

Other Questions: Direct Provision System (4 Jul 2017)

Katherine Zappone: Every child residing in Ireland, whether he or she was born in Ireland or has relocated here, is entitled to equal access to services. The Deputy specifically mentioned children living in the direct provision system, for which the Minister for Justice and Equality has responsibility. Children living in direct provision remain in the care of their parents. If any concern is raised...

Other Questions: Foster Care Provision (4 Jul 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I can assure the Deputy that Tusla has put in place a number of supports in terms of training, as well as providing link workers to work with many of the families. In answering some of the other questions, I have tried to identify ways in which members of Tusla are supported themselves in the work they do. While I am not saying there is no room for more of that, and I have identified the...

Other Questions: Foster Care Supports (4 Jul 2017)

Katherine Zappone: To follow on from the last exchange, foster carers are acknowledged as the backbone of our child care services. Foster care is, by far, the main form of alternative care for children in need of care and protection. It is the preferred option in Ireland for children who cannot live with their parents or guardians. At the end of March this year, 92% of children in care were in a foster care...

Other Questions: Foster Care Supports (4 Jul 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I would be happy to receive additional information and to follow up on that case outside the context of the Chamber. It is important to note that most foster carers have a link social worker who provides a support to them. It is the case that Tusla has identified that the priority in terms of link social workers is for new placements, children nearing 18 or children with challenges such as...

Other Questions: Child and Family Agency Staff (4 Jul 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I appreciate the Deputy's comments. What I have been doing is identifying the measures Tusla is putting in place to address concerns. Social workers, social care workers and even administrative staff working with Tusla are working at the coalface. These are hugely difficult and challenging jobs. As the Deputy identified, in terms of staff, it is important to pay attention to concerns...

Other Questions: Child and Family Agency Staff (4 Jul 2017)

Katherine Zappone: The Deputy has made very good suggestions and I am aware that Tusla is doing some of it. As she identified, it could be doing more, particularly in the various regional settings, in which, of course, I believe. I will certainly raise the matter with those involved in Tusla when I meet them. Proceeding in that way takes planning, time, etc. However, some of the Deputy's suggestions might...

Other Questions: Foster Care Provision (4 Jul 2017)

Katherine Zappone: For foster care to work, we must at all times have panels of carers. This reason alone means that recruitment is constant and ongoing. I appeal to anyone with an interest in caring for children to visit the Tusla website, www.tusla.ie. The foster care section is well laid out. It provides answers for many questions, including the nature of foster care, the diverse group of people who can...

Other Questions: Foster Care Provision (4 Jul 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I appreciate the Deputy's comments. I am aware that concerns have been raised, even in some of HIQA's reports which identified that things were not as good as they could be. Regarding foster care committees in particular, HIQA identified some concerns and ways in which improvements could be made. My Department is working with Tusla to ensure it is developing an alternative care strategy to...

Other Questions: Child Care Services Staff (4 Jul 2017)

Katherine Zappone: Community child care providers are receiving €1 million to ensure continuation of services during this period of change. Those payments have started and providers are receiving them to ensure there is no disruption for providers, parents and, perhaps most important of all, children. The money is being targeted at those services that experienced some difficulties in meeting regulatory...

Other Questions: Child Care Services Staff (4 Jul 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I thank the Deputies. Deputy O'Sullivan commented on a DEIS-style approach, particularly for disadvantaged communities. On a personal level I think it is a wonderful vision and I have been raising that within the Department. I agree with the Deputy and it would be a substantial policy change if we moved towards that. There is merit in considering it. With an acknowledgement of the issues...

Other Questions: Child Care Services Staff (4 Jul 2017)

Katherine Zappone: Of course I will and I would be happy to pursue that. That would be a good way to proceed. Deputy Ó Laoghaire raised questions relating to the sustainability fund. With regard to the first tranche of money from the sustainability fund, 47 providers have signed and returned contracts in respect of the phase, with each being paid approximately €2,000. The city and county child...

Other Questions: Child and Family Agency Staff (4 Jul 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I propose to take Questions Nos. 32 and 554 together. The well-being of all staff, including social care workers, is of great concern to me and to their employing organisations. I also would like to note that Tusla had a national social work turnover rate of 8.4% in the first few months of the year, with some areas exceeding this. The national figure, however, compares favourably with...

Other Questions: Departmental Reviews (4 Jul 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I propose to take Questions Nos. 29, 52 and 553 together. The issue of sustainability in child care services is challenging and multifaceted. The rate of subvention funding provided by my Department’s child care schemes is at the core of this, but there are also other significant issues. These include the receipt of parental contributions; funding from Tusla and other sources for...

Other Questions: Departmental Reviews (4 Jul 2017)

Katherine Zappone: There are a number of things which I am doing now because of the urgency of the situation and in order to support the movement towards the sustainability we have all spoken about. A piece of independent research is being commissioned - I hope it will be put out by mid-August - and it is critical. While we wait for that, given the urgency of the challenges faced by the services, I have asked...

Other Questions: Departmental Reviews (4 Jul 2017)

Katherine Zappone: On Deputy Funchion's last point, officials in my Department have been very committed to finding ways to consult with, and hear from, the sector. That is not to say we have heard from everyone but most recently they have been on a roadshow giving information to providers about the more affordable child care which will start in September 2017. My understanding is there has been strong and...

Priority Questions: School Completion Programme (4 Jul 2017)

Katherine Zappone: The ESRI review, to which the Deputy refers was, as she is aware, conducted in 2015. It recognised the important role that the school completion programme plays in working with children at risk of dropping out of school. However, the review also highlighted the need for a fit for purpose structure with effective governance and employment models in place. The report suggested that the...

Priority Questions: School Completion Programme (4 Jul 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I thank the Deputy for her question. I am fully committed to the school completion programme as a strategy to address ways in which we can support our young people to stay in school, particularly in disadvantaged areas. Regarding the audit which was conducted a while ago, I have described a number of steps that have been put in place working with school completion programmes on the...

Priority Questions: School Completion Programme (4 Jul 2017)

Katherine Zappone: My understanding is that they have been not involved only in terms of the review but perhaps, more importantly, subsequent to it in the various steps that Tusla has put in place and various training and engagement that is under way throughout the different programmes throughout the country. If the Deputy has information that this is not happening, I would be very keen to be aware of it. The...

Other Questions: Departmental Reviews (4 Jul 2017)

Katherine Zappone: We are now on Question No. 29. Is that the position?