Written Answers. - Parliamentary Debates - Houses of the Oireachtas

Questions— 14 February 2012. Written Answers
they provide good incentives for parents to take up and remain in work and thereby contribute
to the reduction of poverty and child poverty, in particular. As Minister for Children and
Youth Affairs, improving children’s outcomes is my primary objective. The development of
the Children and Young People’s Policy Framework, 2012 -2017, as the overarching framework
under which policy and services for children and young people will be developed and
implemented in the State, is an important initiative for cross departmental collaboration to
secure this objective. Early childhood care and education programmes, in particular those that
are aimed at low income families, are priorities to enhance children’s opportunities for social
and educational development and to support parents undertaking training and participating in
employment. The network of 107 family resource centres that are funded by the Family Support
Agency, under the remit of my Department have an important role in this regard. These programmes
and the results of pilot projects to enhance children’s development in Tallaght, Northside
and Ballymun, which are jointly funded by my Department with a philanthropic organisation,
will inform the Government’s plans to develop a new area based approach to child
poverty.
My priority, as Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, is to enhance the role of early
intervention and support programmes for the most vulnerable children and their families in
the context of the new Child and Family Support Agency.
Sexual Offences
88. Deputy Seamus Kirk asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs her plans to
improve inter-agency co-operation between the Health Service Executive and the Garda in
respect of the investigation of sexual offences against children; and if she will make a statement
on the matter. [8101/12]
Minister for Children and Youth Affairs (Deputy Frances Fitzgerald): The HSE’s Children
and Family Services are engaged in a significant programme of reform. A major element of
the change programme in 2012 involves implementing consistent child protection procedures
in line with the revised Children First Guidance which I launched in July 2011 with the HSE
and An Garda Síochána. As part of the drive to improve the response to child abuse the HSE
published a supporting Child Welfare and Protection Practice Handbook, which I also launched
with the HSE and An Garda Síochána. The Handbook was circulated to all HSE staff in order
to support the drive for greater consistency in terms of the application of Children First across
the system. There has also been good progress in advancing preparatory work on the establishment
of the new Child and Family Support Agency and on the preparation of legislation to
underpin Children First.
In order to support the consistent implication of Children First across all sectors, I established
an Interdepartmental Group on which relevant Government Departments are represented and
which is also attended by nominees from the HSE and An Garda Síochána. Furthermore, a
HSE/Garda high level strategy group was established this year representing the Office of
National Director of Children and Family Services and the Office of the Commissioner of An
Garda Síochána in order to ensure close liaison and cooperation between An Garda Síochána
and the HSE Children and Family Services in all aspects of child welfare and protection
services. An Garda Síochána are also represented on two multi-disciplinary, multi-agency committees
established by the HSE to examine the assessment, therapy and counselling needs of
children who have been sexually abused and to make recommendations concerning service
requirements.
The proper recording of sexual crimes against children is a matter for An Garda Síochána
to address in the context of their record systems. I understand, however, that Garda policy in
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