Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent)
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67. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs her role and involvement in the work leading from the Mulvey report on Dublin's north inner city in the area of child care; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50195/17]

Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
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My Department is very actively involved in the North East Inner City Initiative which is progressing apace on foot of the Mulvey Report. Officials from my Department are represented on the Senior Officials Oversight Group and the Programme Implementation Board. The Department of Children and Youth Affairs is also Chairing the Integrating Social Services subgroup under this initiative.

My Department is working to enhance alignment of existing initiatives in the North East Inner City as well as the development of other responses which add value to the actions of the Mulvey Report. This will achieve maximum impact in terms of integrating service delivery and impact relating to children, young people and their families.

One of the outcomes in the Mulvey Report Action Plan is that local Early Years providers should implement the Síolta and Aistear frameworks. My Department, along with the Department of Education and Skills, has a key role to play in that respect.

The implementation of Síolta and Aistear by early years services in the area is being supported by the Better Start quality development service and by the National Síolta Aistear Initiative. This is being done in collaboration with City and County Childcare Committees, National Voluntary Childcare Organisations.

Eight services in the North East Inner City have engaged with the Better Start quality development service to access mentoring supports. Of these, three have completed a programme of support, four are currently receiving mentoring supports and a further service has not yet started the programme. A further five services in neighbouring areas which are likely to have children from the North East Inner City attending have engaged with the Better Start service. Of these, two have completed the programme, two are currently in the programme and one has not yet started.

Alongside the Better Start quality development service, the National Síolta Aistear Initiative has provided training and resources to City and County Childcare Committees to support the implementation of the curriculum and quality frameworks. Dublin City Childcare Committee which provides supports to services in the North East Inner City has two members of staff trained as Síolta Aistear mentors who offer training, mentoring and coaching supports focused on supporting the implementation of Síolta and Aistear.

My Department will continue in 2018 to progress the actions in the Mulvey Report including those that relate to childcare to ensure that services and facilities are providing for the needs of the children and families in the North East Inner City.