Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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376. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the extent to which he continues to monitor the need for rehabilitative support for child or juvenile offenders, with particular reference to identification of families at risk, and the putting in place of the relevant necessary measures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8294/15]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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Appropriate education, training and other programmes and facilities for children are provided by the children detention schools on the Oberstown campus in line with the principles of the Children Act 2001, in conjunction with the Dublin and Dun Laoghaire Education and Training Board. The delivery of children detention services is focused on education and rehabilitation of those young people detained in order to address offending behaviour and support their early re-integration into the community.

The development project which is currently nearing completion in Oberstown will enable the extension of the child care model of detention to all children under the age of 18 years. The project also includes the provision of new education and recreation facilities as well as dedicated visiting facilities and a medical facility. These facilities will support and enhance the existing services already being provided to children in detention on the campus.

An individual management plan is put in place for each child on admission to the children detention schools which includes a mental health assessment to determine the need for more specialist services provided by the Assessment, Consultation and Therapy Service. This is a national service provided jointly by Tusla - the Child and Family Agency and the children detention schools which provides clinical services to children in detention and also in special care facilities, as well as short term interventions when the child returns to the community.

My Department also provides in the region of €53m to support the provision of quality youth provision throughout the country. This funding supports the provision of youth services and programmes to young people throughout the country including those from disadvantaged communities. Targeted supports for disadvantaged, marginalised and at risk young people are provided through the Special Projects for Youth Scheme, the Young Peoples Facilities and Services Fund and the Local Drugs Task Force Projects.

The Deputy may also wish to note that earlier community based interventions to divert young people from offending behaviour, such as the Garda Youth Diversion Projects and the Garda Diversion Programme are also in place in the community and come under the responsibility of my colleague, the Minister for Justice and Equality. These programmes aim to engage young people in contact with the criminal justice system in a process of learning and development that enables them to make positive lifestyle choices in the community.