Sorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein)
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645. To ask the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether any costing has been done on integrating early years mental health supports into childcare settings, including inpatient child therapeutic interventions or staff training. [35471/25]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I can inform the Deputy that as part of Tusla’s Infant and Early Child Mental Health work the inclusion of Early Years Practitioners in the Solihull Training programme is currently being considered. In addition a Play Therapy pilot, funded by What Works using Dormant Accounts Funding, is running in certain ELC settings, to test the viability of play therapy in such settings. At this time no costings have been done on integrating early years mental health supports into childcare settings or staff training. Inpatient child mental health therapeutic interventions are a matter for the HSE and Department of Health.