Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

528. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the extent to which she envisages improved counselling services for children at risk and their families; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44006/17]

Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Under the Child and Family Agency Act, 2013, Tusla, the Child and Family Agency is required to support and promote the development, welfare and protection of children. Tusla provides funding to voluntary organisations offering a range of counselling and support services to children and families including:

- Marriage and relationship counselling,

- Child counselling,

- Rainbows Peer Support Programme for children,

- Bereavement counselling and support on the death of a family member.

Counselling services funded by Tusla are specifically targeted at children who have been affected by parental separation or who have suffered family bereavement. Tusla's marriage and relationship counselling funding is instrumental in assisting parents to deal with difficulties they experience in their personal relationships. The funding provided aims to make counselling available to those who could not otherwise afford it.

Tusla is also proposing to put in place a range of additional Therapy Services for children and young people.

The Assessment, Consultation & Therapy Service(ACTS) is a national specialised clinical service which has been developed in order to provide multidisciplinary consultation, assessment and focused interventions to young people who have high risk behaviours associated with complex clinical needs. ACTS also supports other professionals in their ongoing work with young people and their families.

Tusla works closely with other care providers including the HSE, in respect of access to child and adolescent mental health services.

The protection and welfare of children and young people is of great concern to me, and I will continue to support Tusla in assisting children and young people at risk.

In this context, I announced a significant increase in the funding allocation to Tusla for next year. Tusla will have available to it some €753 million in funding, representing an increase of over €40 million over 2017. The precise level of funding to be provided to counselling, therapy and support services will be considered by Tusla in developing its Business Plan for 2018.