Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he will release the analysis undertaken prior to removing Health Service Executive funding from the Childminder Advisory Officers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17064/13]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Childminders who take care of less than three children in their own homes are exempt from the Regulations provided under the 1991 Childcare Act. A number of initiatives were introduced to encourage childminders exempt from notification under the Regulations to voluntarily notify their services.

In 2002, the Health Service Executive (HSE) agreed to fund a Childminding Advisory Officer post or provide a staff member in each county, who would work with the 33 City and County Childcare Committees (CCCs) funded under the Childcare Programme, implemented by the then Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform. The role included notifying childminders of training opportunities, providing networking opportunities and supporting the voluntary notification system which was being developed by the CCCs.

While Childminding Advisory Officers were established in most county areas, this was not always the case and they were not always located with the local CCC. Despite their presence and the additional supports including training, a small capital grant scheme and the introduction of a tax relief for childminding in 2006, the increase in the number of voluntarily-notified childminders since 2004, when the number was 500, has been relatively small and levelled off at 1,250.

In recent years, the HSE made a decision to gradually reduce the level of funding and support for the Childminding Advisory Officer posts. I understand that this is due to pressure on HSE resources and the need to prioritise funding to other areas of front-line services. While this is not a welcome development, I would point to the fact that the CCCs are now well-established and effective bodies at local level, and that supporting the childminding sector is an integral part of their work. As a result, childminders continue to have access to support, training and advice.

My Department provides annual funding to each CCC to enable them to support and advise all childcare providers at local level. In 2012, the total amount allocated to the CCCs was €11.3m. In addition, in 2012 my Department provided €220,000 to the CCCs for Childminding Development Grants. My Department also provides annual funding, totalling €2.85m in 2012, to seven National Voluntary Childcare Organisations to provide support at a local level to their members. This included €358,000 for Childminding Ireland, the representative body for childminders.

In 2007, the then Office of the Minister for Children published National Guidelines for Childminders which had been developed by its National Childcare Co-ordinating Committee. The Guidelines provide information to childminders on whether they are subject to the Child Care Regulations, the voluntary notification system, the tax relief for childminders, as well as guidance on good practice and other useful information on the role of the childminder in the provision of childcare services.

My Department has commenced work on Ireland's first Early Years Strategy. I have received Government approval for the approach I am taking in developing this Strategy as an innovative and dynamic blueprint for the future development of our Early Years sector, aimed at providing a coherent approach to seeking to improve the lives of children from birth to the age of six. One of the policy issues which I have identified for consideration in the preparation of the Early Years Strategy is the development of the childminding sector as a fully-integrated component of early childhood care and education, in particular for the under-one age group.

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the progress made to date in implementing the recommendations in the report on the Roscommon Child Care Case; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16016/13]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The latest available information available from the HSE indicates that the HSE West Regional Director of Operations and the Regional Director of Children and Family Services requested HSE's Quality and Patient Safety Audit unit to undertake an assessment of progress to provide assurance to HSE senior management regarding the extent to which recommendations arising from the Roscommon Child Care Case (RCCC) Report have been implemented in the HSE West region. HSE West Region comprises the following 5 areas;

- Donegal

- Sligo / Leitrim / West Cavan

- Mayo

- Galway / Roscommon

- Mid West (Limerick / Clare / North Tipperary)

The objectives of this assessment were twofold:

- Identify if recommendations arising from the RCCC Report relating to service delivery have been implemented and to what extent.

- Support the due diligence exercise that is required as part of the transfer of child care services from the HSE to the new Child and Family Support Agency.

The team found sufficient evidence that the following RCCC recommendations have been implemented:

- Organisation change, including establishment of a national management tea

- Court processes

- Staff roles, particularly in respect to contact with children

- Observations made on home visits

- Working with fathers

- Child Protection plans

- Follow-up on, and feedback in relation to, third party concerns

- Key designated worker role

- Targeted family support service developed for Roscommon, and review of the effectiveness of the Home Management Service

- Children First Guidelines implemented locally

Partial evidence was found that the following recommendations have been implemented, and most are works in progress:

- Policies and procedures for all stages in the child welfare and protection system

- Practice audits and quality assurance

- Reporting up of escalating risks and cases of public importance

- Implementation of a common assessment framework

- Alternative plans

- Working with parents who seek to distract workers

- Involvement of Speech and Language (S&L) Department, and review of Public Health Nursing (PHN) records

- Specialised Child Sexual Abuse Unit or Team in place

- Staff management, including supervision and caseload management

- Child protection case conferences processes and chairpersons

- Standardised file recording and file management systems

- Appropriate staff training

Insufficient evidence was found that the following 4 recommendations have been implemented:

- Victim impact statements: The audit team were advised that guidance was intended to be issued to Children and Family staff on the preparation and presentation of victim impact statements and the right of children in care to privacy. This was to be subject to clearance from Legal Services. This matter remains outstanding.

- Documenting frequency and purpose of home visits: The audit did find that home visits did appear to occur regularly. A number of developments are in train which will ensure that this recommendation is addressed. A National Record Management Strategy will be implemented in Quarter 2. The National Staff Supervision Policy was launched on the 22nd March 2013 and a detailed implementation plan is in place. The introduction of the new policy will provide an important opportunity to provide a renewed focus on a number of areas.

- Outcomes measurement: The National Child Protection Notification project is in the process of developing Guidelines with Supporting Documentation on Child Protection Conference and the Child Protection Notification System (CPNS). Under these guidelines, the requirement for Child Protection places to have achievable measurable child focused outcomes with timeframes will be clearly set out. Child Protection and Welfare Inspections have commenced by HIQA and forthcoming recommendations from these will be implemented and associated learning disseminated.

- Staff alert to Attachment theory, and testing assumptions in supervision: Liaison between the Regional Workforce Development Manager and the Area Managers on training needs has been ongoing in agreeing training priorities for 2013, which includes attachment training. The plan will be kept under review and there will be ongoing liaison in respect of the priorities between the Regional Service Director and the National Manager for Workforce Development.