Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)
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2007. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the full year cost of delivering disability awareness training to all staff in Intreo offices not already trained in it; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27069/17]

Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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The Department of Social Protection fully recognises the need to support staff and promote disability awareness. It has been very proactive in the provision of training and supports in this area in recent years, with a very positive response from staff.

The Department supports its staff by offering a suite of disability awareness training including Mental Health and Deaf Awareness, Dealing with Blind Customers and general Disability Awareness. The Department also offers courses in SafeTALK suicide awareness, ASIST suicide prevention and Stress Awareness. These are available to all staff in the Department, including staff in Intreo Offices. Since 2013, over 2,500 staff have attended training courses in these areas. In addition, e-learning courses developed for front line public servants by the National Disability Authority (NDA) and the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (IHREC) are freely available online to all staff via the Department’s Staff Development intranet site. Bespoke, ad hoc training can also be procured where required utilising an External Training Budget.

In conjunction with Mental Health Ireland (MHI) and the Civil Service Employee Assistance Service (CSEAS), Mental Health Awareness workshops have been held in a variety of locations since 2013. During that time 406 staff have attended these workshops which included presentations, discussions, case studies and group activities. The workshops provided tools and strategies to enhance mental health and well-being, increase awareness and understanding, and promote the range of formal and informal supports and resources available.

In response to identified needs, stress awareness training was also delivered with the aim of giving staff confidence and control in managing stress and increasing coping strategies. This training is provided on request, with over 1,250 staff participating since 2013.

With assistance from the National Office for Suicide Prevention (NOSP), my Department also provides ‘SafeTALK’ training to staff. This programme helps prepare participants to identify people with thoughts of suicide and connect them to suicide first aid resources.640 staff have participated in this programme over the last three years. NOSP also provides access to staff from my Department to the more advanced Applied Suicide Intervention Skills (ASIST) training workshop conducted by the Health Service Executive (HSE). 150 staff have attended this two-day programme which trains participants to reduce the immediate risk of a suicide and increase the support for a person at risk.

My Department also continues to promote awareness among staff by publicising designated awareness days such as World Suicide Prevention Day and World Mental Health Day.

My Department has a dedicated Disability Liaison Officer (DLO) for its staff with disabilities and their managers. The DLO offers support and promotes awareness of disability issues and services among staff, whilst also facilitating the Department’s active participation in the Irish Association for Supported Employment’s Job Shadow Initiative and AHEAD's Willing Able Mentoring Programme. This Training Officer has attended AsIAm’s Public Sector Training Programme on Autism-Friendly Practises, the NDA’s Seminar on Alternative & Inclusive Routes to Employment for People with Disabilities and the NCBI’s Seminar on Bridging the Information Gap and has disseminated information from these seminars to Departmental staff. The Department also provides translation, interpretive and Irish Sign Language services as required and is committed to the provision of information in alternative formats where feasible

Induction and orientation training highlights the range of Departmental supports and grant-aid available for both staff and clients with disabilities. These include employment supports for jobseekers with disabilities such as the Wage Subsidy Scheme, EmployAbility Services and the Reasonable Accommodation Fund, in addition to the Employee Assistance Service.

During 2016, in the context of Departmental commitments under Pathways to Work 2016-2020 to extend and intensify proactive engagement for people with a disability, 67 dedicated Case Officers were nominated across the Intreo network. My Department’s Staff Development Unit provided a Disability Awareness Seminar in March 2016 for these Case Officers with speakers from the National Disability Authority and Epilepsy Ireland. This was supplemented by tailored instructor-led training nationally in Employment Supports for People with Disabilities, and this training has now been incorporated as standard into a new accredited programme for Case Officers, a Level 8 Certificate in Professional Practice in Employability Services, in conjunction with the National College of Ireland (NCI).

Ongoing liaison, via the Department’s Disability & Illness Policy Unit, with the National Disability Authority (NDA) and the Disability Federation of Ireland (DFI) ensures that information on relevant events and seminars is communicated to Departmental staff.

The Department will continue with its extensive training and awareness in this area. It is estimated that the cost of providing disability awareness training to all staff in Intreo offices in the Department would be approximately €90,000.