Written answers

Tuesday, 6 July 2021

Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth

Child Protection

Photo of Bernard DurkanBernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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407. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the extent to which he remains satisfied that adequate counselling, support and rescue services remain available through his Department to meet the requirements of at-risk children; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36482/21]

Photo of Roderic O'GormanRoderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, is required under the Child and Family Agency Act, 2013 to support and promote the welfare and protection of children; to support and encourage the effective functioning of families and to provide services relating to the psychological welfare of children and their families. Tusla funds the Health Services Executive to supply psychology services on its behalf. Under existing agreements with the HSE, Tusla pays €7m annually for psychology services provided by the HSE. Tusla also purchases additional therapy services amounting to approximately €4m annually.

In specific situations, Tusla offer therapeutic services by directly employed staff, including psychology staff, play therapy, art therapy, Marte Meo, psychotherapy and family therapy.

In addition to direct service provision, Tusla provides grant aid to community and voluntary agencies for the provision of a wide range of family support services including specific funding for counselling services. Tusla provides funding to a range of agencies including Barnardos, the Daughters of Charity, Foroige, and Extern Ireland; all of which provide counselling support to children.

Children placed in foster care or residential care may access services close to their home or placement and there is significant flexibility in the arrangements to match children’s needs. For children in the care of Tusla, where there is an essential and critical therapeutic need identified and the HSE is not in a position to respond, private therapeutic services may accessed. These therapeutic services are accessed based on the unique needs of each child and delivered as part of their care plan.

For young people in Special Care, detention, or at risk of requiring same, Tusla provides an Assessment Consultation Therapy Service (ACTS) through a national multidisciplinary clinical team comprised of counsellors with expertise in substance misuse, psychologists, family therapists, social workers, social care workers, and speech and language therapists. This service is based in Dublin with regional teams in Limerick and Cork.

The team provides assessment and focused interventions to young people who have high risk behaviour associated with complex clinical needs. ACTS also supports other professionals in their ongoing work with young people and their families.

ACTS offers on-site therapeutic services on an in reach basis. The service extends into the community for young people at significant risk by continuing involvement with young people following secure care placements when their needs exceed the threshold of community services.

As a national service ACTS can support young people when they return to community settings to help them re-engage with local mainstream services. ACTS works with young people, staff in residential units, families and carers, local area social workers, school staff and others.

Tusla works collaboratively with Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services, the Courts and other services in respect of relevant matters.

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