Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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127. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the supports for children living in disadvantaged communities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2165/15]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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Responsibility for addressing disadvantage is a matter for all Departments and Ministers and indeed for wider society. The provision of intervention and supports to target the particular needs of children will be dependent on the type of disadvantage, be it social, financial, educational, health etc. Responsibility for the identification and provision of those interventions will fall to my Ministerial colleagues as appropriate to the type of disadvantage. For example, the Department of Education and Skills have lead responsibility for issues concerning educational disadvantage, the Department of Social Protection has lead responsibility for addressing child poverty.

Notwithstanding this, I am fully convinced of the need for a whole-of-government approach in addressing such issues.Better Outcomes, Brighter Futures: The National Policy Framework for Children and Young People (2014-2020)takes such an approach in addressing disadvantage for children, emphasising an integrated and evidence informed approach to working across government, on horizontal and vertical levels, which transfers to all sectors and settings working with children and young people.

While my Department has overall responsibility for the framework, individual Departments will continue to take lead roles on matters within their remit.

My Department has lead responsibility for a range of funding schemes which target disadvantage across the areas of services and supports for children and young people.

My Department supports a range of education support services for children in disadvantaged communities. Tusla, the Child and Family Agency has a statutory remit to support children and young people to participate in and benefit from the education system. Tusla has responsibility to ensure that each child attends a recognised school or otherwise receives a certain minimum education

Tusla delivers an integrated approach to educational welfare services through the continued reform of work practices to provide an enhanced response to the needs of children, families and schools. Three service strands – the statutory Educational Welfare Service and the School Support Programme services under the Department of Education's DEIS Action Plan (namely, the Home-School Community Liaison Scheme and the School Completion Programme) collectively form the Educational Welfare Services (EWS) of the Agency.

I am advised by Tusla that the statutory Educational Welfare Services worked with over 20,000 children in 2013. Some 2,434 cases involved intensive intervention and a multidisciplinary approach and the provision of sustained support by an Education Welfare Officer to address the child's needs and support school attendance. During this period the School Completion Programme provided targeted support to approximately 36,000 children and young people at risk of early school leaving across 124 community based programmes.

Tusla also provides a range of services that offer advice and support to families. This includes over 100 family resource centres. The aim of the Family Resource Centre Programme is to combat disadvantage and improve the functioning of the family unit. The Programme emphasises involving local communities in tackling the problems they face, and creating successful partnerships between voluntary and statutory agencies at community level.

The main focus of these services is on early intervention aiming to promote and protect the health and well-being and rights of all children, young people and their families. At the same time particular attention is given to those who are vulnerable or at risk.

I recently issued the Performance Statement 2015 to the Tusla. This Performance Statement provides Tusla with specific policy guidance, direction, and prioritisation and resource parameters to inform the preparation of its Business Plan for 2015.

As part of the Performance Statement, I have asked that in the area of family support, Tusla should provide a clear framework for action to expedite and enhance their capabilities in the area of early intervention and protection through supporting parents and families in accordance with relevant Government policy. Key elements of this framework are to be developed during 2015.

My Department administers a range of funding schemes and programmes to support the provision of youth services to young people throughout the country, including those from disadvantaged communities. Targeted support for disadvantaged, marginalised and at risk young people are provided through the Special Projects for Youth Scheme, the Young People's Facilities and Services Fund, Rounds 1 and 2, Local Drugs Task Force Projects. In addition, some 31 national and major regional youth work organisations are supported under my Department's Youth Service Grant Scheme and other schemes include the Local Youth Club Grant Scheme and Youth Information Centres. The funding schemes support national and local youth work provision to some 380,000 young people and involve approximately, 1,400 youth work staff in 477 projects and 40,000 volunteers working in youth work services and communities throughout the country. In 2015, current funding of €49.93m will be provided to my Department for these schemes.

My Department also assists children experiencing deprivation by taking the lead in implementing the Area Based Childhood (ABC) Programme. The ABC Programme is being co-funded by Atlantic Philanthropies and will have a total funding allocation of up to €29.7 million. The ABC Programme draws on best international practice to break the cycle of child poverty in communities where it is most deeply entrenched, and improve the outcomes for children and young people and existing services.