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Frances Fitzgerald TD, Minister for Children & Youth Affairs has today addressed Seanad Éireann on her plans to develop the capacity of early intervention and family support services so as to improve outcomes for children and to protect children through actively supporting families so as to prevent, where possible, children being taken into care.

Between 2006 & 2010, the number of children in care increased by almost 13.7%. Since then, during 2011, the figure further increased from 5,727 to 6160, an increase of 433 or 7.6%. This increase is in line with increases in comparable jurisdictions. However despite this increase Ireland has fewer children in care per 10,000 of population than those other jurisdictions.

Minister Fitzgerald told Senators that this should not prevent us from seeking to do all we can to keep this figure as low as possible.

The 2009 Report of the Monageer Inquiry and the 2010 Report of the Roscommon Child Care Inquiry made clear recommendations on the need for early intervention services and the development of a targeted family support service.

Minister Fitzgerald outlined how her vision for enhanced early intervention and family support services which will be prioritised as part of the ongoing ‘change agenda’ in Ireland’s child & family services; which will lead to establishment of the new Child & Family Support Agency in 2013.

The Minister stated: “The purpose of early intervention and family support must be to identify and intervene as early as possible to address risk factors such parental substance misuse, mental health concerns or domestic violence and ultimately prevent children from having to be taken into care.

The Minister confirmed that the HSE has commenced work, with support from my Department, on a new Family Support Strategy which will underpin the design of new service delivery models aimed at providing support at the earliest stages of emerging difficulties. These new models of delivery will, in time, fully integrate existing HSE services, the Family Resource Centre network and the wider community and voluntary resources already working in this area.

The Minister also outlined her “hope that the concept of ‘proportionate means’ will be given constitutional strength and underpinning when the proposed constitutional amendment on children is put before the people later this year.”