Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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569. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she has satisfied herself regarding the adequacy of the child counselling services available to children that are at risk; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31548/17]

Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
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Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, provides family support services to children and families at risk when a need is identified. These services can be provided directly by Tusla through its family support services, social work or social care services, or through play therapies, as appropriate. Tusla also provides funding to voluntary organisations offering a range of counselling and support services to children and families, including marriage and relationship counselling, child counselling, bereavement counselling and peer support programmes.

Key elements of the support provided to children at risk may include referral and advocacy for access to specialist services to meet the child’s identified needs as part of their care plan, such as speech and language therapy, counselling and psychology services. Children may need to be referred to the child and adolescent mental health teams (CAMHS) and primary care psychology services provided by the Health Service Executive. Additionally, there are a number of services commissioned by social work departments around psychotherapeutic supports. In special cases Tusla may procure private psychology services where the waiting time for the HSE service is considered to be detrimental for the child's welfare.

Tusla will continue to strive to meet the requirements of the children and families they serve, and I will continue to support them in doing so.