Update: UNICEF Report on Child Poverty – Children and Youth Affairs 19th November, 2014

 
  *  To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs his response to the recent report by UNICEF in respect of child poverty here; when the data contained in the report was raised and collated; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

                                                                                          – Bernard J. Durkan

For WRITTEN answer on Wednesday, 19th November, 2014.

*  To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the steps he proposes to take in response to the recently published UNICEF report on child poverty here; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

                                                                                          – Bernard J. Durkan

For WRITTEN answer on Wednesday, 19th November, 2014.
 
   
REPLY.
The recent Unicef report raises the important issue of child poverty.  The collection and collation of data for this report is a matter specific to the research design adopted by Unicef with specific regard to the response to this multi-faceted issue.  I would like to outline the following:

Support for families who require income support to meet basic needs is provided through the social welfare system which is the responsibility of my colleague the Minister for Social Protection. A range of income supports are available to parents, both those who are unemployed and those on low incomes. The Department of Social Protection also has lead responsibility for the National Action Plan for Social Inclusion.

Better Outcomes, Brighter Futures: the National Policy Framework for Children and Young People 2014 – 2020,  which was published and launched by Government in 2014, provides the overarching framework for the development and implementation of policy and services for children and young people. As provided for in Better Outcomes, the Department of Social Protection which is the lead department on child poverty has the lead responsibility for a specific commitment to a national child-specific social target to lift over 70,000 children out of consistent poverty by 2020, a reduction of at least two-thirds on the 2011 level.

My Department is working on a number of initiatives which are relevant in addressing issues related to children poverty. It is, for example, leading the implementation of the Area Based Childhood (ABC) Programme (2013-2016).  The ABC Programme is being co-funded by Atlantic Philanthropies and will have a total funding allocation of up to €29.7 million.  The ABC Programme draws on best international practice to break the cycle of child poverty where it is most deeply entrenched, and improve the outcomes for children and young people and existing services.

In terms of other provision, my Department is spending €260 million annually on childcare support programmes which provide childcare to 100,000 children. A number of these programmes are targeted at those on lowest incomes. The CCS programme provides subvention support to parents on low incomes and parents in receipt of certain social welfare payments, whose children are enrolled in community childcare facilities. Additionally, the 3 Training and Employment Childcare (TEC) programmes – the Childcare Education and Training Programme, the Community Employment Childcare programme and the Afterschool Childcare Programme – provide childcare supports to eligible parents returning to work or to education.  

My Department also provides funding for targeted support for disadvantaged, marginalised and at risk young people through three schemes.  The three programmes are Special Projects for Youth Scheme, the Young People’s Facilities and Services Fund and Local Drugs Task Force Projects. In addition, national and regional youth work organisations are supported under my Department’s Youth Service Grant Scheme. In 2014, current funding of €49.78 million has been provided to my Department for these schemes. I am pleased to advise that Budget 2015 has confirmed that funding of €49.78m will again be provided to my Department in 2015 to support the provision of youth services. There will be no reduction in the overall allocation for youth services in 2015 which is a key priority for youth organisations.