James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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542. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the reason the Department of Education and Skills is not represented on the working group tasked with streamlining children's mental health services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17620/18]

Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
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The objective of the Working Group is to examine the provision of psychological and mental health services for children and young people with the aim of ascertaining a clear continuum of provision, strengthening alignment and areas for improvement, centred on the needs of children and young people.

The Working Group is jointly chaired by the Department of Children and Youth Affairs and the Department of Health. The current membership includes representatives of the Department of Children and Youth Affairs, the Department of Health, the Health Service Executive and Tusla. It has been recognised that additional input to the work of the group will be considered when and where appropriate.

The Working Group met on 19 January 2018 and agreed that in charting a line of sight regarding service provision, that further gathering of information was necessary including

1. Information on current policy/service plans relating to psychological services (including CAMHS etc.) for children and young people

2. Information on current provision regarding same, indicating gaps (e.g. service, thematic, age cohort, tiered delivery) and areas of alignment

3. Information relating to expenditure and work-force numbers

4. Information regarding the strengths and impediments in relation to the foregoing.

This information will allow the Working Group to consider the feasibility of charting a continuum of provision and will also indicate areas for attention, either in terms of service provision, thresholds or transitions.

As referenced, additional input to the Working Group will be considered as the work of the group advances.