Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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28. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the planned governance and administration of family resource centres and the role of the Child and Family Agency in same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47828/13]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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The policy intent in framing the functions of the Child and Family Agency has been to broaden the scope of the Agency beyond the traditional concept of child welfare and protection and to place emphasis on family support as a core function. The existing strengths of community based approaches to supporting families have informed this policy direction and, in particular, the contribution of the network of 106 Family Resource Centres around the country.

The intention is that the new Agency will have a stronger family support function which will encompass both the existing family support obligations imposed by the Child Care Act 1991 (and currently discharged by the HSE) along with the important work undertaken by the Family Support Agency. The Child and Family Agency Bill contains strong functions relating to family support (as set out at Section 8(1)(c)) and community development activities (set out at Section 8(1)(d)), such as those provided by the Family Resource Centre Programme. In addition, Part 8 sets out the framework for the funding of outside providers of services and again provides scope for the funding of community development initiatives which would include Family Resource Centres (specifically Section 59(8)). This Part establishes the statutory basis for the funding of such programmes. It also provides for the development of regulations and guidance which will further elaborate the precise governance and administration arrangements which will be put in place by the new Agency.

It is acknowledged that Family Resource Centres are non-profit making organisations with a strong community involvement and ethos. The arrangements implemented by the Child and Family Agency will support the objective of providing effective and co-ordinated supports to families and communities, while building upon the local, community role of Family Resource Centres. I can assure the Deputy that the new Agency will build on the excellent work undertaken by the Family Support Agency over the last decade, and that a community based approach to service provision will form an integral part of the new Child and Family Agency. I will communicate further with the Deputy in this regard when the Child and Family Agency Bill commences Report Stage on the 20th November.