Patricia Ryan (Kildare South, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

159. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth with regard to the serious mental health issues facing young people today and the significant benefits of the counselling that Youth Services provides, if he and his Department will consider further investments in the provision of a unified counselling system for local youth services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22115/23]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

While youth mental health is the policy responsibility of the Minister for Health, the youth sector has an important role to play in fostering wellbeing and building resilience. Young people need a safe, supportive community environment in order to promote their wellbeing and to fulfil their potential.

Funding for youth organisations does not provide for intensive or long term services offered to young people with acute needs, nor is it intended to take the place of HSE or Tusla counselling services. Nevertheless, youth mental health is a multi-faceted issue that calls for a broad response.

It is understood that developing social and emotional capabilities supports the achievement of positive life outcomes, including educational attainment, employment, health and mental well-being. Funding to youth organisations, for example under UBU Your Place Your Space, supports social and personal development of a young person’s resilience, confidence, agency, determination and emotional intelligence. The importance of clear referral pathways across and between services is to be encouraged, in particular improved linkages between youth services and mental health service providers.

It should be noted that Tusla, the Child and Family Agency provides funding to counselling services, through a network of community-based counselling service providers and Family Resource Centres that offer a range of types of counselling/psychotherapy and support.

Mental health and mental well-being was identified as a particular challenge for young people, especially after the Covid 19 restrictions. This is being taken into consideration in the development of the new policy framework for children and young people which is due to be launched by my Department in the coming months.

My Department, in conjunction with colleagues in the respective Department's and agencies, will continue to support efforts in addressing this crucial issue in a strategic and collaborative manner.