Grace Boland (Dublin Fingal West, Fine Gael)
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2253. To ask the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the cross-departmental strategies being developed to make parenthood more accessible and less burdensome. [42553/25]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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My Department does not have whole responsibility for making parenthood more accessible and less burdensome. The Deputy will be aware that issues relating to fertility, pregnancy and women's health during pregnancy would be for the Department of Health to respond to.

My Department does, however, have responsibility for implementing Supporting Parents; A National Model of Parenting Support Services (2022-2027). The vision of Supporting Parents is for all parents to be confident and capable in their parenting role, helping to achieve the best outcomes for children and families.

The National Model is comprised of 23 individual actions across 4 Goals:

• Goal 1 - greater awareness of parenting support services,
• Goal 2 – greater access to parenting support services,
• Goal 3 - more inclusive parenting support services,
• Goal 4 – needs-led and evidence-informed parenting support services.

The governance structure of Supporting Parents allows for a number of groups which oversee the implementation of all actions. The Parenting Support Policy Unit in my Department has responsibility for leading on delivery of the key actions, and acts as a programme delivery office for the National Model. The Supporting Parents Steering Group guides the delivery of parenting supports nationally, and includes membership from Tusla and HSE. The Supporting Parents Implementation Advisory Group provides advice, support and guidance on the implementation of the National Model, and includes members from a wide range of stakeholders from across relevant Government Departments, agencies and community and voluntary organisations including Tusla, the HSE, the Prevention and Early Intervention Network, the Parenting Network and the National Parents Council.

Some priority actions under the National Model for 2025 include the roll out of a Parent Peer Support fund to assist local organisations setting up or expanding peer support activities for parents, the continuation of a communications campaign which aims to destigmatise and make parents more aware of the availability of universal and targeted parenting support services nationally, the mapping of Tusla funded parenting support services nationally to improve signposting to these services by practitioners, the roll-out of pilot Community Based Parenting Hubs and dedicated Parenting Support Advisors in Tusla Network areas, and the development of best practice guidelines for consulting with parents and for parent peer support groups.