Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 436: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he will provide further details on the inter-agency programme, the strengthening families programme; the Department which has overall responsibility and co-ordination for the programme; the funding of the programme on an annual basis since its establishment; the number of persons who have taken the 14 week course annually; the number of occasions the programme is offered annually; and the locations at which the programme is offered currently and in the roll-out. [15499/09]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The Strengthening Families Programme (SFP) is an internationally recognized parenting and family strengthening programme for high risk families first developed in the US in the 1980s. It is an evidence based family skills training programme which was found to significantly reduce problem behaviour, delinquency, and alcohol and drug abuse in children and to improve social competencies and school behaviour. Positive results from empirical research of this Programme over 15 years in the US and other countries indicate that the programme is robust and effective.

The Programme was first implemented in Ireland in Cork in 2006/2007 through the Southern Regional Drugs Task Force. The initiative was made possible through the cooperation of a number of agencies including the Probation Service. Of the first 10 families which started that programme, 9 graduated, indicating the Programme's ability to retain clients. Since then the Programme has been delivered and resourced by a number of different agencies including the Probation Service, Drug Task Forces, the HSE and the National Juvenile Office of An Garda Síochána. As such, no one Department has overall responsibility and coordination for the Programme.

Under my Department, the Irish Youth Justice Service (IYJS) directly funds the delivery the Programme through the Young Person's Probation Service (YPP). YPP personnel facilitate training of staff in the programme including Probation funded project staff, juvenile Liaison Officers and Regional Drug Task Force workers. YPP also supports referral and co-facilitation. YPP, in conjunction with Le Chéile, a YPP project has recently commenced the development of a nationwide Strengthening Families Programme. Le Chéile has been provided with €256,324 by the IYJS in grant funding for 2009 in this regard. Programmes are now being run in Cork and Galway and are also planned for Dublin (Ballymun, Tallaght, Blanchardstown and Finglas), Dundalk, Portlaoise, Limerick and Waterford. At the end of the year it is anticipated that Le Chéile will have delivered the Programme to 120 families. Further information related to the detail of the Programme is available on the IYJS website at www.iyjs.ie and also at http://www.strengtheningfamiliesprogram.org.