Elizabeth Canavan

PrincipalChild and Youth Service Development

Unit

Office of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs

Child and Youth Services Development

• Children’s Services Committees• Prevention and Early Intervention

Programme• Youth Development• Play and Recreation• International• National Children’s Strategy

The Changing Context for Children’s Services

• National Children’s Strategy – whole-child perspective

• Developmental Welfare State (NESC, 2005)

• Mid-term review of the National Children’s Strategy – the implementation deficit

• Towards 2016 - focus on the needs of children and young adults

Other Developments • Shifts in Emphasis-

– For practitioners: From protection and problem-orientation to strengths based and resilience building

– For policy makers/providers: From integration of policy to integration of service delivery

• “Evidence” gaining greater currency supported by OMCYA role

• Agenda for Children’s Services (2007) – multi-agency and disciplinary role in protecting and promoting child well-being

Policy Response • Towards 2016 - Structures

– Establishment of the National Children’s Strategy Implementation Group (NCSIG)

– The NCSIG will establish a Children’s Services Committee under each of the 34 city and/or county development boards in the country.

• CSCs intended bridge the “implementation gap” – with HSE lead

NCSIG Vision

Children, young people and their families will receive the support and services they need to create better futures for children through all local agencies and organisations working together.

The Approach • CSCs bring together a diverse group of

agencies to engage in joint planning and interagency collaboration in delivery of services to children with the purpose of securing better developmental outcomes for children.

• Development locally determined and led within a flexible framework devised and agreed at national level. – Very little prescription– Local champion approach– Model to be informed and designed from the ground

up– Focus on Prevention / Early Intervention / Innovative

Practice

What Happened Next…… • In 2007 four multi agency Children’s Services

Committees were set up: Dublin City, South Dublin, Donegal and Limerick City

• Detailed county/city plans were drafted for 4 sites and implementation underway

• Six Phase II “volunteer” CSCs on stream – workplans by end 2010

• Toolkit produced in June 2009 • Three Year Strategic Plan for the

Development and Implementation of the CSC initiative finalised in January 2010

Background to the Strategic Development Plan • Fieldwork / Prospectus Strategy Consultants input

– Positive themes emerging– Considerable feedback for “more perscription please” !!– Clearly emerging issues requiring national response– Technical supports needed

• Emerging role of CES– Development of CES workplan– Establishment of respective roles of OMCYA/CES in

supporting NCSIG in driving the initiative– Phases II and III and beyond to be actively supported

• Longer term strategic plan required

Key Themes -Governance / Mandate • Structures remain vertically, hierachically organised –

mandate, authority, accountability, identity, loyalty and reward pull activities up and down through organisations

• Cross-cutting requires high level mandate and authority which gives the same push and pull to horizontal action and which people can identify with, be accountable for, show loyalty around and be rewarded for.

• Otherwise, we are asking people to swim against a very strong current.

Key Themes -

Systems / Behaviours • Crisis / Problems can galvanise us into thinking

collaboratively but only temporarily – system demands something else.

• Funding is the powerhouse – it limits and potentially changes this dynamic if the funding and accountability system changes – money drives activity and demands accountability

• People are central but need the strong incentives and new competencies to justify the effort involved in acting vertically and horizontally concurrently.

Emerging Focus -

Policy • Joined up working mandated nationally at the

highest levels on a system-wide inter-agency basis. (Agenda for Children’s Services (2007), OMCYA).

• Placing a value on and requiring integrated working as “part of the day job” right down to practitioner level without detracting from individual Department and Agency accountability arrangements.

• Supporting the behavioural change and managing the risk-taking associated with this approach.

Emerging Focus -Practical Supports • Local inter-agency protocols and memoranda of

understanding/agreements for joint planning and commissioning.

• Better data / systems that can “talk” to one another• Protocols/mechanisms for appropriate data and

information sharing• Frameworks for shared outcomes and priorities and roles

leading to joint plans containing linked, co-ordinated or fully integrated actions.

• Assuring the participation of children, young people, families and communities at all levels in the process.

10 Outcomes to be achieved by Dec 2012

• 20+ CSCs in place• Governance framework in place• NCSIG key driver for strategic planning and

resourcing decisions at national level• Structured engagement between statutory/

voluntary and community sectors• Children and young people’s participation

10 Outcomes to be achieved by Dec 2012

• Networking & Communications Strategy• Evaluation plan in place• Comparative data on children’s outcomes

available at county level• Developing culture – evidence informs policy and

practice• CSCs identified service delivery/practice

changes

Next Steps

• Updated Toolkit• Phase II CSCs Workplans – Dec 2010• Invitations issued to Phase III – Dec 2011• Emerging Trends• Two areas where work to be initiated

– Active participation by children and young people in planning and delivery of services

– Structured engagement between the statutory and voluntary sectors at local, community and nation level

Background to the PEIP

• Context– Drive to move from crisis intervention to early

intervention/prevention in children’s services– Needs-based / Outcomes orientation important– Need to understand policy to practice connect better– Integration of services also an issue

• Philanthropy active in these areas

The “logic model” approach

• Outcome oriented concept of integrated children’s services

• Locally determined with strong ownership• Evidence of what works, proven models of

intervention• Services designed for families, communities

and agencies working together• Early intervention to avoid significant

intervention later in life cycle

Selection Criteria for PEIP Projects

• Involves prevention and early intervention services for families/children

• Cross sectoral approach with strong provider and statutory support

• Linked to Evidence “of what works” • Based on local “needs assessment”• Has philanthropic support

Successful Applicants

• Three candidate projects approved in December, 2006

and Contracts / Service Level Agreements finalised

early 2007:– Tallaght West Childhood Development Initiative (10-year

strategy),

– Preparing for Life – (6-year project) Northside Partnership

(Darndale, Moatview and Belcamp)

– Youngballymun – (10-year strategy) Ballymun Development

Group

Project Interventions

Tallaght West CDI:• Early Childhood Care and Eduation• “Doodle Den” afterschool literacy programme• “Mate-Tricks” afterschool pro-social behaviour

programme• Health Schools Initiative• Community Safety Initiative• A Safe and Healthy Place• Quality Enhancement Programme

Project Interventions (cont’d)

Youngballymun:• “Ready, Steady, Grow”, pre-birth support and

baby and toddler development• 3, 4, 5 Learning Years (Highscope)• Incredible Years, teacher-parent-child training

and support programme• Write Minded, literacy support• Jigsaw Youngballymun, youth well being

programme

Project Interventions (cont’d)

Preparing for Life• Prenatal Support Programme• Improving parenting skills to promote child

development:– Regular one to one support from a trained mentor/home

visitor– Group training for parents using the Triple P (Positive

Parenting Programme)– Public health messages– Supporting parents to access and appropriately utilise

existing services• Developing and integrating services

Rigorous Evaluation

• Learning will be captured in terms of what works and why it works (or not!!)

• Common baseline data collection, alignment on use of survey instruments, pooling of results on similar services, use of best international practice

• Results will be monitored and evaluated through programme support structures at national and local level

• Important input to policy and service development

Lessons to date

• Dedicated funding stream• Patience and flexibility• Networking and influencing critical• “Champions” at local/regional level• Hard work to achieve tipping points at

individual and organisational level• Practical academic expertise of significant

value

Youth Development

Youth Work Act, 2001“Young person - a person who has not attained the age of

25 years”“Youth Work - “a planned programme of education”

“That particular regard be had to the youth work requirements of

(i) Persons who have attained the age of 10 years but not 21 years, and

(ii) Other young persons who are socially and economically disadvantaged” (Youth Work Act, 2001)

The Practice of Youth Work

Youth Work Sector – actively works with young people outside, yet alongside, the formal

education sector– operates in various settings spanning non-formal education through to

informal education. – engages young people from ten to twenty-four years of age,

representing a significant period in both development and duration– often acts as the point of contact and referral in the interface with other

youth-related issues spanning the realms of care, health, and welfare. Youth work is:

– educational & elective– structured & systematic

• Work and practice needs clearer identification and more cogent articulation in the context of children and youth services development framework

Key Strategic Objectives for 2010

• Introduce a National Quality Standards Framework (QSF) for the youth work sector in September 2010

• Finalise the new reporting procedures for youth work organisations & services and introduce an information management system within the CYSDU to address an information deficit and build a knowledge base

• Develop a Youth Development Strategy to accommodate and guide the broad range of youth policy and provision within the OMCYA and to enusre that youth work has pivotal positioning amongst a ‘community of practices’ working with and providing for young people.

Play and Recreation

Key activities for 2010• Promoting play and recreation through small grant

fund to local authorities to support two initiatives– National Play Day – 4th July, 2010– National Recreation Week – 29th Oct to 4th Nov, 2010

• Sourcing of funding / development of youth café programme

• Continuing development of the National Play and Recreation Resource Centre website

International

• Report to UNCRC – Work ongoing– Changing economic situation and rapid series of

budgetary reductions needs to be reflected– Changing policy/departmental responsibilities

adding further to complexity– Aiming to finalise in third quarter of 2010– Will include consultation with the sector through

CRA once a reasonable draft available

National Children’s Strategy• Currently examing best methodology in the

current climate• Principles and goals of the National Children’s

Strategy• Focus on outcomes – the 7 National Outcomes

being considered• Consultation a key feature• Precise process and timeframe to be agreed

shortly

Referendum• Third and final report of the Joint Committee on the Constitutional

Amendment on Children presented to Cabinet in early March.

• Cabinet referred the matter to the Cabinet Committee on Social Inclusion to consider the report and examine the implications of the proposed wording for their individual areas of responsibility

• A Senior Officials Group working to the Cabinet Sub Committee has been reconvened to guide the interaction and coordinate the responses of all Government Departments. This group has met twice, and will complete its work shortly.

• The Attorney General has been considering the legal and constitutional ramifications of the report. His input will be critical in terms of deciding on future actions.

Pending Legislation

• Child Care (Amendment) Bill 2009– Provides for High Court to have statutory jusrisdiction

to hear applications by the HSE for special care orders/interim special care orders where children’s welfare may require detention in a special care unit

– Special care units will be inspected under the Health Act 2007

– Dissolution of the Children Acts Advisory Board

Pending Legislation

• Adoption Bill 2009– To ratify the Hague Convention and to statutorily

provide for intercounty adoptions to be in accordance with the standards set out in the Convention

– To repeal the Adoption Acts 1952 – 1998 and bring forward, restate or update provisions of those Acts, as appropriate

– To re-establish the Adoption Board as the Adoption Authority of Ireland with additional functions/powers

Pending Legislation

• National Vetting Bureau Bill– Provides a statutory basis for the vetting of applicants

for employment and employees

– Provides for the establishment of a National Vetting Bureau

– OMCYA in conjunction with Dept. of Justice currently drafting Heads of Bill for submission to Government