Government commitments to Prevention and Early

InterventionWinnie Donoghue

PEIN Residential, June 2014

‘BETTER OUTCOMES: BRIGHTER FUTURES’, 2014 -2020 The first overarching national policy

framework for children and young people aged from birth to 24 years

It is a whole-of-Government strategy that will be implemented by the DCYA in collaboration with all Government departments and key State agencies.

Age -specific strategies such as the National Early Years Strategy & Youth Strategy will be situated under the Framework.

• One of the primary, universal and most effective supports that the State can provideSupport Parents

• gradually transfer resources from crisis to earlier points of intervention.

Earlier Intervention& Prevention

• supported to express their views in all matters affecting them

Listen to & Involve Children & Young

People

• outcomes-focused, demonstrating improved outcomes over time.Ensure Quality

Services

• particularly in education, health, child welfare and youth justice.Strengthen

Transitions

• Improved cross departmental & interagency collaboration will be driven by Cabinet

Cross Governmental & Interagency collaboration & Coordination

Active & Healthy

Achieving in learning

and developme

nt

Safe & Protected

from Harm

Economic Security &

Opportunity

Connected, respected & Contributing

Goals Outcomes[Strengthening Support system around child]

6 TRANSFORMATIONAL GOALSGoal 1: Support Parents Parents will experience improved support in the important task

of parenting and feel more confident, informed and able. (p28)

 

Goal 2: Prevention and Earlier Intervention Rebalance resources from crisis intervention towards earlier

points of intervention, whilst ensuring effective crisis response Lift over 70,000 children out of poverty by 2020 Focus on health & well being will lead to progress in childhood

obesity & mental health Increased access to quality affordable early years education (p.

30)

Goal 3: Listen to and involve children and young people Strengthen efforts to ensure that children and young people

are supported to express their views in all matters affecting them and to have those views given their due weight, including those of ‘seldom-heard’ children. (p. 32).

TRANSFORMATIONAL GOALS

Goal 4: Ensure Quality Services

Investment in children will be more outcomes driven, informed by research on the effectiveness of expenditure on child services. Resource allocation within services will be based on evidence of need and effectiveness, with services that are not working being decommissioned. (p. 34).

Goal 5: Strengthening Transitions 

bringing a stronger focus on effective transitions at key developmental stages & between child & adult services, particularly within the areas of education, health, child welfare and youth justice (p. 36).

Goal 6: Cross Government and interagency collaboration & coordination

implementation of the framework requires improving cross-departmental & interagency co-ordination

GOAL 2: PEI (P.29)

THE GOVERNMENT RECOGNISES: Universal services are the main

providers of PEI - EY services, schools, youth, community & health services need to be inclusive and accessible.

PEI is Cost effective need for a partnership approach to

planning and funding of PEI services. commitment to future planning and

cost-benefit analysis is required.

Active & Healthy PEI COMMITMENTS

G6. Explore the provision of an enhanced maternal ante-natal and early childhood development service, building on the review of the Community Nursing Services and related developments in family support provision (including home visiting), incorporating the learning from the Growing Up In Ireland study and the PEI Programme. (HSE, Tusla, DH, DCYA)

Bring a focus to healthy early development, prioritising the under-2 year-olds, strengthening pre-natal and ante-natal supports around the mother, addressing maternal health and wellbeing, and raising breastfeeding and vaccination rates in line with international norms. (DH, HSE, DCYA, Tusla).

G9. Introduce universal GP services and continue to roll out Primary Healthcare Teams, to promote early diagnosis and treatment of ill-health. (DH, HSE)

Achieving in learning

and developme

nt PEI COMMITMENTS G8. Continue to increase investment in

high-quality early years care and education for all children, prioritising families on low incomes.

Introduce a second free pre-school year within the lifetime of this Framework, once the required quality standards are achieved and subject to resources becoming available. (DCYA, DES, Tusla, DSP)

Safe & Protected

from Harm PEI COMMITMENTS G7. Provide and commission universal &

targeted evidence-informed parenting supports and ensure early identification of ‘at risk’ children, families and communities for specific supports as appropriate to strengthen families and reduce the incidences of children coming into, and remaining in, care. (DCYA, Tusla)

G10. Support quality youth work, both as a protective factor contributing to the young person’s overall development and in reaching out to young people at risk of crime oranti-social behaviour. (DCYA)

Connected, respected & Contributing PEI COMMITMENTS

G. 10. Support quality youth work, both as a protective factor contributing to the young person’s overall development and in reaching out to young people at risk of crime or anti-social behaviour. (DCYA)

PEI COMMITMENTS G5. Work towards rebalancing resources to place a greater

emphasis on prevention and earlier intervention. (DCYA, DH, DES, DJE, Tusla, HSE)

G11. Training and up-skilling of professionals across formal and non-formal educational settings to be in a position to identify potential child welfare and mental health issues, and to provide preventative and early intervention support. (DCYA, DH, DES, Tusla, HSE)

G12. Profile key risk factors for poor outcomes for children and young people and develop practice tools to assist professionals in identifying and – working with families –mitigating these risks. (DCYA, DES, DH, Tusla, HSE)

  G13. Implement the Area-Based Childhood Programme to

address the impact of child poverty and improve child outcomes in 10 or more areas of disadvantage and mainstream the learning from the programme to services throughout the country. (DCYA, DES, DH, LCDC)

IMPLEMENTATION STRUCTURES “Cabinet Committee on Social Policy” A new, cross-government “Children and Young

People's Policy Consortium” (Supported by DCYA implementation team)

Sponsors Group (subgroup of the Policy Consortium) with members of 5 key Depts, each with lead responsibility for National Outcome area (DOH, DES, DCYA, DSP, DOE).

"Advisory Council" that include NGOs. It will have two "pillars", one for Early Years and one for Children & Youth.

“Children’s Services Committees National Steering Group” with reps from CSCs, Local Authorities, CES, & DCYA.

Comhairle na nÓg National Executive (for young people age 12-18) and Structured Dialogue Working Group (for young people age 15-25)

MONITORING To monitor progress on implementation,

the policy framework also sets out a series of "key indicators". 

further indicators will be developed during 2014.