Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Independent)
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32. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the current levels of child poverty; the role his Department is taking to alleviate these growing numbers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27091/15]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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Better Outcomes, Brighter Futures: the National Policy Framework for Children and Young People 2014 - 2020 (BOBF), which was published and launched by Government in 2014, provides the overarching framework for the development and implementation of policy and services for children and young people.

As part of the implementation of Better Outcomes, Better Futures, Department of Social Protection have identified child poverty as a cross-sectoral priority action for 2015. The Department of Social Protection have the lead role in coordinating government strategies on child poverty and are the Sponsor of outcome 4 of Better Outcomes, Brighter Futures - economic security and opportunity. The Department of Social Protection also has lead responsibility for the National Action Plan for Social Inclusion.

Better Outcomes, Brighter Futures set out a target of lifting over 70,000 children out of consistent poverty by 2020, a reduction of at least two-thirds on the 2011 level.

To inform the development of a multidimensional approach to tackling child poverty, a national seminar on ‘Investing in children – breaking the cycle of disadvantage’ was held with the European Commission and attended by national stakeholders in November 2014. My Department continues to work closely with the Department of Social Protection supporting this multidimensional approach to child poverty.

As regards my own Department there are a number of areas of focus that support this response to child poverty. My Department invests €260 million annually on early childhood care and education and after-school support programmes which provide care to 100,000 children. A number of these programmes are targeted at those on lowest incomes. In addition in early 2015, I established an Inter-Departmental Group on Future Investment in Early Years and After-School Care and Education. The work of the group is focused on identifying policy objectives to guide future investment in this area. This Group will report to Government shortly.

My Department is also leading the implementation of the Area Based Childhood (ABC) Programme (2013-2017). The ABC Programme is co-funded by my Department and The 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 where it is most deeply entrenched, and improve the outcomes for children and young people and existing services.

My Department also provides targeted support for disadvantaged, marginalised and at risk young people are provided through a range of schemes totalling €49.93m of funding. The purpose of the forthcoming National Youth Strategy 2015 - 2020 is to enable all young people aged 10 to 24 to realise their maximum potential with regard to the five national outcomes in Better Outcomes, Brighter Future. It will be a universal strategy for all young people. It will have a particular focus on the needs of young people experiencing, or at risk of experiencing the poorest outcomes.

Finally, as part of my Department's response, Tusla, the child and family agency is also responsible for the delivery of educational welfare services which involves intensive intervention and a multidisciplinary approach 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.