Kathleen Funchion (Carlow-Kilkenny, Sinn Fein)
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98. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the actions he will take to address the extremely low levels of awareness of the NCS and after school programmes by Tusla social workers; the training that has been provided for Tusla social care workers on the NCS programme; and the guidance given to social workers in order that they can quickly and efficiently refer a child to an afterschool service. [40716/20]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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The Sponsorship arrangement within the NCS to which the Deputy refers offers additional supports for families with complex needs.

The need for a referral is a determination that the Sponsor Body must make based on the particular need of the child in line with the defined criteria of the NCS sponsorship programme. Once a child meets the criteria for sponsorship by a given Sponsor Body, the child can automatically avail of up to 45 hours of childcare per week.

The Child and Family Agency, Tusla, can sponsor a child aged from birth to 17 years for a maximum of 45 hours per week where they meet the following criteria:

- children who are in need of additional care and protection as part of the provision of child care and family support services by the CFA,

- and who are deemed by the CFA to require childcare services in order to promote their welfare

- children whose families are receiving support under Meitheal

- children known to the child protection system (level 2 or level 3)

- children in care

My Department liaises with a central contact point within Tusla for the dissemination of sponsor information leaflets, which are then provided to referring officers.

In conjunction with Tusla and the Scheme Administrator my Department is co-ordinates the training and information needs that arise, ensuring Tusla receive all the training and support required. To that end, since the sector reopened on 29 June, 163 Tusla staff across the country have undergone training for the NCS.

The training as delivered includes information on the obligations and processes as they relate to the particular Sponsor Body and is tailored to reflect the most recent questions that people have from their experiences in the community.

As of week ending 29November 2020, 598 children are sponsored by Tusla to receive childcare under the NCS.

My Department will continue to work with officials and other key stakeholders to build awareness of the sponsor arrangements.