Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent)
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44. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the specific programmes her Department and Tusla have in place to assist parents and children within the emergency accommodation system while they await being housed in view of the increase in the numbers of children in emergency accommodation. [43712/17]

Tommy Broughan (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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65. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the family supports available to homeless families in family hubs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43444/17]

Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 44 and 65 together.

I am committed to helping children and families as part of a whole-of-Government response to the problem of homelessness. While statutory responsibility for the provision of accommodation and related services for homeless persons rests with individual housing authorities, and responsibility for the provision of a national framework of policy, legislation and funding rests with the Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government, my Department has undertaken a number of actions as part of Rebuilding Ireland: the Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness.

These include the introduction of free childcare for the children of families experiencing homelessness. This has been done under the existing Community Childcare Subvention (CCS) Programme, which provides a subvention of €160 per week for part-time childcare (three-and-a-half hours to five hours per day) over five days per week for all pre-school children aged 0 to 5 years inclusive. From 26 June last the scheme has been expanded to include a second option covering child care for a shorter period of two-and-a-quarter hours to three-and-a-half hours each day over five days per week. As part of the scheme a daily meal is provided for each child, the cost of which is included in the subvention rate. Currently 83 children have been approved for this scheme for 2017/2018 and a further 18 applications are awaiting decision. The scheme is also designed to help those transitioning from homelessness to permanent accommodation.

It is very likely that other children in emergency accommodation are also registered under other strands of the child care programmes supported by my Department, though it is not possible to identify the exact number in each case.

Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, works together with other statutory and voluntary agencies to provide services and supports to children, young people and families experiencing homelessness. Actions taken by Tusla include the provision of funding for child support workers and the appointment of a Homelessness Liaison Officer.

Family Resource Centres, part funded by Tusla, are working with people who are experiencing homelessness and many have developed local responses to the needs of families in emergency accommodation. These include, by way of example, family fun days, homework support, after school programmes, play therapy and transport services.

In recognition of the difficulties associated with homelessness and school attendance, Tusla’s Educational Welfare Service offers a number of supports to children (and families) experiencing homelessness.

Tusla’s joint protocol with the Dublin Regional Homeless Executive (DRHE) covers child welfare and protection matters for children in emergency accommodation. It is fully operational in the DRHE areas and it is intended to replicate this protocol across the State. A Joint Working Protocol between Tusla and Galway City Council and their contracted services providers was co-signed by Tusla and the City Council in July. Galway County Council has agreed to meet with Tusla in the coming weeks to discuss a similar protocol.

Finally, the DRHE is coordinating the development of a comprehensive National Quality Standards Framework for homeless services on behalf of all housing authorities. Consultation with service users and key stakeholders, including Tusla, has been undertaken and the draft standards have been piloted in selected services. These standards, including a child safety element which will provide homeless services with a framework for continuous quality improvement, will be implemented nationally.

Ultimately, my concern is that we minimise and then eliminate the problem of homelessness. In the meantime, I will continue to support measures to help those affected, to the greatest degree possible within my area of responsibility.