Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 338: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if her attention has been drawn the number of students within second level education who are young parents; the supports available for these students; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15279/08]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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While figures on the number of teen parents in second level are not readily available, the most recent CSO figures indicate 2362 teen births in 2006. Of these, 1254 were to mothers aged 18 years or younger. For young parents of school-going age, the most pressing issues are considered to be a sensitive response to their needs, appropriate counselling/mentoring and medical assistance, minimal disruption of tuition, and appropriate access to childcare. Individual circumstances will differ and accordingly, school management practice will vary from case to case. Generally, when it comes to the attention of the school that a pupil is pregnant, the school authorities check to ensure that the girl is receiving appropriate medical assistance and counselling advice. Schools endeavour to be sensitive and understanding to the girl's needs while trying to ensure that her education is not neglected.

Home tuition is provided to pregnant schoolgirls who are absent from school during the later stages of pregnancy or immediately following the birth of a baby when attendance may be impractical. In 2006/07, home tuition was approved for 69 pregnant girls attending post primary schools, while in 2007/08 school year to date, home tuition has been approved for 59 pregnant girls attending post primary schools.

Funding has been committed in 2008 for the education element of 8 Teenage Parenting Support projects as a specific gender element of the School Completion Programme under DEIS in preventing early school leaving among teenage mothers. Approximately, 1000 young parents are targeted by the Teen Parenting Support Programme (TPSP). In 2006, there were 412 new referrals to TPSP, of which 23% (95) were in second level at the time of referral. The programme also supported 13 young fathers in 2006. Links have been established between local School Completion projects in these areas, assisted by the SCP National Coordination Team and the Teenage Parenting Support Initiative Coordinators. The aim of these projects is to enable young women who are pregnant and young mothers to stay in second level education and to progress on to third level education or training. The Project does this by providing individual support, information and grinds where necessary. Young people participating in Teen Parenting Support Programmes are targeted in-school, out-of-school and in higher/further education, giving them the opportunity to reach their full potential through continued participation in education and training. This will improve their life opportunities and reduce the likelihood of the young family experiencing poverty and social exclusion and being long-term dependants on state support.

Greater affordability of childcare, linked to the creation of additional childcare places, has been a key principle in both the previous and current National Development Plans. This Government has provided unprecedented levels of funding for childcare in recent years. €499.3 million was allocated to the Equal Opportunities Childcare Programme (EOCP) 2000-2006 and some 41,000 places will have been created by the time the programme finishes. Going forward, childcare provision will continue to attract substantial investment under the new National Childcare Investment Programme 2006-2010. €575m has been allocated to the new programme, which will be administered by the Office of the Minister for Children and aims to provide a proactive response to the development of quality childcare services by supporting the creation of an additional 50,000 places. This Government also introduced the Early Childhood Supplement of €1000 per child under six to help parents with childcare costs.

The Government discussion paper, "Proposals for Supporting Lone Parents," put forward proposals for the expanded availability and range of education and training opportunities for lone parents; the extension of the National Employment Action Plan to focus on lone parents; focused provision of childcare; improved information services for lone parents and the introduction of a new social assistance payment for low income families with young children.

A working group, comprised of officials from across a range of Government Departments, on which my Department is represented, is currently working on an implementation plan to progress the non-income recommendations. Work on the development of this implementation plan is progressing. Issues including access to childcare support, education, training and activation measures continue to be discussed with the relevant Departments and Agencies. In this regard, my Department is at present co-operating with the Department of Social and Family Affairs, the Office of the Minister for Children and FÁS in testing the non-income activation proposals in Coolock in Dublin and in Kilkenny.