Ruairí Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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1230. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth his plans in terms of early intervention and family supports in County Louth; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41051/21]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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Tusla provides early intervention and family support services, through both internal Tusla family support provision and the commissioning of services through its community and Voluntary Sector partners.

Through the Prevention, Partnership and Family Support service, 121 Child and Family Support networks have been developed. The networks help to support integrated and co-ordinated supports for children, young people and families at local community level.  CFSNs are a frontline operational structure set up by Tusla to support integrated service delivery. Members of CFSNs come from a variety of agencies or local voluntary and community services such as the Community and Voluntary Sector, HSE Primary Care Social Work, Early Years Services, Sports Clubs, Speech & Language Therapy, An Garda Siochána Youth Probation Services, Primary and Secondary Schools etc. There are 5 of these networks in the Tusla Louth Meath Area.

The Child and Family Support Networks also facilitate the coordination of the use of Meitheal, the Tusla-led early intervention national practice model that identifies a child’s and their families’ needs and strengths, and brings together a team around the child to deliver preventative support. Families in Louth engage with the Meitheal process.

In 2020, 1722 children received a family support service in the Tusla Louth Meath Area.

Tusla will continue to provide early intervention and family support services in Co. Louth, based on local needs identified by the Tusla local Area Manager.