Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 296: To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the progress made to date in addressing issues arising from unemployment, educational dropout, social and economic deprivation and exclusion with particular reference to the need to put in place corrective measures and support structures; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40710/11]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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Tackling poverty, social and economic derivation and exclusion is a priority for Government and a goal of the National Action Plan for Social Inclusion 2007 – 2016, coordinated by the Department of Social Protection.That Department is working closely with the Departments of Enterprise, Jobs and Innovation and Education and Skills to deliver a range of measures aimed at getting people back to work.

My Department has direct responsibility for a number of programmes which play an important role in improving outcomes for children and families. Early childhood care and education programmes, in particular those aimed at low income families, are important priorities for my Department, to enhance children's opportunities for social and education development and to support parents.Over €160 million will be spent in 2011 on the free Pre-School Year in Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme.A further €76 million will be spent on the Community Childcare Subvention (CCS) programme and the Childcare Education and Training Support (CETS) programme, both of which assist low income parents with the costs of childcare.

My Department also oversees grant funding, amounting to some €60 million in 2011, for a range of programmes and supports for young people. These include the Youth Service Grant Scheme, the Special Projects for Youth Scheme, the Young Peoples Facilities and Services Funds, the Local Youth Club Grant Scheme, Youth Information Centres, the European Youth in Action Programme and Gaisce – the President's Award.The programmes and services are delivered by some 1,100 staff and a volunteer base of over 60,000 and are availed of by some 400,000 children and young people.The Department of Children and Youth Affairs also has an important role in addressing educational disadvantage.The National Education Welfare Board (NEWB) operates under the aegis of the Department and is responsible for the Education Welfare Service (EWS), the School Completion Programme (SCP) and the Home School Community Liaison (HSCL) programmes, all of which are major components of the DEIS initiative.This integrated support service draws on the skills, expertise and knowledge of the three services which includes 408 HSCL Coordinators, 254 SCP project workers and 93 EWS staff, to deliver better outcomes for children, families, and schools.The SCP, which has a funding allocation this year of over €30 million, supports 124 projects and related initiatives linked to 472 primary and 225 post-primary schools and supports some 38,000 children and young people at risk of early school leaving.

The Family Support Agency has also been brought under the aegis of my Department and funds a network of 107 Family Resources Centres to provide a range of support services for families living in disadvantaged communities.Finally, one of the key developments and priority areas for my Department, will be the establishment of the new Child and Family Support Agency.An expert Task Force has been established to plan and oversee the arrangements for the Agency which I hope to see established in 2013.I believe the new cohesive structures which are envisaged for the future delivery of services, for children and families, will be a very important development and will result in improved effectiveness of the delivery of services and the provision of supports, in particular to children from vulnerable families.