Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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599. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the status of early learning initiatives funded by his Department; the changes that have been made in the context of Covid-19; and the funding commitment and arrangements for 2021. [9450/21]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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The Early Learning Initiative (ELI) at?National College of Ireland operates as part of the Tusla Area-Based Childhood (ABC) Programme. The Tusla ABC Programme is an area based prevention and early intervention initiative delivered across 12 areas of significant socio-economic disadvantage in areas across the country. It operates as part of the wider Tusla Prevention, Partnership and Family Support Programme (PPFS).

My Department is conscious of the difficulties vulnerable children, young people and their families may face in light of COVID-19 and the associated public health measures.

In the context of COVID-19, all services for children, young people and families have had to adapt to challenging situations. Families may have emerging or changing needs which services must address, or services may have to adapt to deliver support in new ways. In 2020, my Department launched the Supporting Children campaign to encourage all of us to look out for those who may be particularly vulnerable. It also draws attention to the robust service and support network in place through my Department and Tusla, including the Tusla ABC Programme.

The Tusla ABC Programme have reported several adaptions to services including sites ensuring that the needs of some of their targeted families from the Traveller communities, families living in homeless hubs and Direct Provision are identified are met, delivering Speech and Language services using tele-therapy and home learning packs, and strengthened collaborative planning in delivery of practical supports to children and families across Tusla’s prevention and early intervention programmes, such as ABCs, Family Resource Centres, Child & Family Support Networks and CYPSCs.

The 2021 Tusla ABC Budget has been secured and funding commitments have been communicated to local partners, including Early Learning Initiative/Docklands ABC. As of 2021, Tusla PPFS including the Tusla ABC Programme are administered as part of a general Tusla budgeting process.