Government commitments to Prevention and Early Intervention Winnie Donoghue PEIN Residential, June 2014

 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 provide Support 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 development Safe & Protected from Harm Economic Security & Opportunity Connected, respected & Contributing GoalsOutcomes [Strengthening Support system around child]

Goal 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).

 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

 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  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 development  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  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 or anti-social behaviour. (DCYA)

Connected, respected & Contributing  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)

 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)

 “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)

 To monitor progress on implementation, the policy framework also sets out a series of "key indicators".  further indicators will be developed during 2014.