Featured News

From Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth 

Published on 26 July 2023

Last updated on 25 July 2023

Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Roderic O’Gorman, and Minister of State for Disabilities, Anne Rabbitte, today welcomed Government approval of the Disability Action Plan 2024-2026.

The Action Plan represents a key step in the expansion and reform of specialist community-based disability services including day services, respite and residential services, personal assistance and home support, as well as multidisciplinary therapy interventions for children and adults. These services form core supports in the Government’s ambition to help people with disabilities live ordinary lives in ordinary places, in line with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities (UNCRPD).

The Action Plan has been developed on foot of the Disability Capacity Review to 2032 – A Review of Social Care Demand and Capacity Requirements to 2032. This review set out the extra capacity requirements for community disability services up to 2032, based on an analysis of demographic trends and unmet need. Following its publication, Government committed to working towards implementing its recommendations.

The Disability Action Plan 2024 – 2026 represents the first phase in this process of implementation. Its main focus is on service expansion for disability services and the key priorities in this regard are:

• Increasing capacity of Children’s Disability Network Teams, in conjunction with the upcoming Roadmap for Service Improvement 2023 – 2025 in Children’s Disability Services
• Increased personal assistance and home support hours
• Efforts to accelerate the decongregation programme
• Increasing capacity for planned residential placements
• Expansion of respite provision

The Plan also seeks to refresh and reinvigorate the Transforming Lives reform agenda through a suite of actions that seek to maximise service impact through strategic change and also to improve planning and management capacity through better information and systems. Key enablers such as workforce, also a primary consideration in the Roadmap for Service Improvement 2023-2025 for Children’s Disability Services, and the development of alternative models of providing services will be explored in order to drive better service delivery. Close partnership with the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage in exploring alternative models of residential services, as well as delivering additional places, will also be an important aspect of the plan.

The Action Plan is now being prepared for publication, including in accessible formats, and will be available in early autumn.

Minister Roderic O’Gorman said:

“I am very proud to have secured Government approval for the Disability Action Plan 2024-2026. Earlier this year, the responsibility for specialist disability services transferred to my Department and it has been a priority for me that a tangible difference for people with disabilities would follow. This Action Plan is not only a valuable vehicle to begin addressing the deficits identified in the Disability Capacity Review but will also allow us to look at how we develop policy and deliver services more broadly. I look forward to launching the Plan in the autumn.”

Minister of State for Disabilities Anne Rabbitte said:

“I know from my conversations with people that there is an urgent need to provide more and better services to meet the demand that exists in the system. The Disability Action Plan 2024-2026 sets out how we are going to do that. I am particularly pleased that this plan will provide a template for the expansion of children’s services, which is such a critical area. This Plan, along with the Roadmap for children’s services, gives us a touchstone and I hope we will now see real improvements in this area.” 

 Notes

The Disability Capacity Review to 2032 – A Review of Social Care Demand and Capacity Requirements to 2032 was published by the Government in July 2021, along with a Framework Action Plan, setting out key areas for attention.

The detailed action plan was then developed in late 2021 and early 2022 by an interdepartmental Working Group with officials from Department of Health, Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Department of Social Protection, Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science and the Health Service Executive.

Their work was informed by an extensive public consultation, in which around 800 people participated. Further information on the consultation and its results can be found here.

You are invited to attend a training session for the Universal fees Table and Parent Statement 

The trainings have been scheduled for

• 28/07/2023 @ 10:30am
• 31/07/2023 @ 2:30pm
• 01/08/2023 @ 6:30pm

Please find the GoTo Webinar Registration links below to register for the training.

Universal fees Table and Parent Statement SP1

28/07/2023 at 10:30am

https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/3555375734642622040

 

Universal fees Table and Parent Statement SP2

31/07/2023 at 2:30pm

https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/4493346014554196569

 

Universal fees Table and Parent Statement SP3

01/08/2023 at 6:30pm

https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/1094176130470768469

 

The content of this training will cover the following topics:

• PowerPoint Presentation covering the Universal Fees Table and Parent Statement and Core Funding Review & Confirm Training Key Points
• Live demonstration of:
  • Universal Fees table
  • Parent’s Statement
  • Core Funding Review & Confirm

We kindly ask that questions on the day are kept to the topics that are listed above.

Dear Service Provider, 

Please see information on the preliminary payments for the Community Childcare Subvention Plus (CCSP) Saver Programme and the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) Scheme for the 2023/2024 programme, as well as information on AIM payments below.

CCSP Saver Programme

Preliminary payments will be made for the CCSP Saver Programme 2023 on Friday 11 August 2023.

These payments will be issued to service providers with 6 or more children registered on the programme based on a two-week payment for children registered in your service between Monday 5 June and Friday 16 June 2023.

This payment will be deducted from payments based on actual registrations once they begin to issue from Friday 25 August. All subsequent payments will be based on approved registrations.

The payment schedule for the CCSP Saver Programme 2023 is available HERE.

ECCE

Preliminary payments will be made for ECCE 2023 on Friday 18 August 2023.

All subsequent payments will be based on approved registrations.

The payment schedule for ECCE 2023 is available HERE. Please note AIM Level 1 payments will be included in the ECCE payment on 15 September 2023.

AIM Payments

AIM Level 7 payments for the 2023/2024 programme will commence on the 18 August. Payments are made one week in advance and weekly thereafter.

To ensure the effective processing of AIM Level 7 payments, you must ensure that the child(ren) who have been approved AIM Level 7 support have an active and approved ECCE or CCSP Saver Programme registration on the Early Years Hive for the 2023/2024 programme call.

Also, in terms of the AIM Level 1 payment (included in the ‘Payment Schedule’ section) can the following be included please.

Best regards,
Early Years Team

From Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth 

Published on 20 July 2023

Last updated on 19 July 2023

Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY), Roderic O’Gorman, today announced the publication of the Children and Young People’s Services Committees (CYPSC) Shared Vision Next Steps Mid Term Report 2019 – 2021.

Children and Young People’s Services Committees promote and support effective inter-agency coordination and collaboration to achieve the best outcomes for all children and young people.

Shared Vision, Next Steps 2019 – 2024 is the national policy document for CYPSC. It assists CYPSC to further develop in a strategic, integrated and sustainable manner, in order to support the coordination and planning of efficient and effective services for children and young people.

This mid-term report for Shared Vision, Next Steps provides an update on the work achieved in the development of CYPSC at a national level, and by individual CYPSC across Ireland over the period 2019–2021. The report provides information regarding the funding of CYPSC from 2019 to 2021 and highlights CYPSC best practice under the five national outcomes for children and young people during this time. Of the 37 actions, 22 have been completed (60%), 11 are in progress (30%) and 4 have not progressed to date (10%).

Minster O’Gorman added:

1. Summary of Shared Vision, Next Steps 2019 – 2024

• Shared Vision, Next Steps 2019 – 2024 2024 is the DCEDIY national policy document for Children and Young People’s Services Committees (CYPSC). The policy document covers the period 2019-2024.
• Its aim is to provide a succinct road map for the further development of CYPSC over a five year period. The document took stock of progress made by CYPSC since its inception in 2007 and identified the most immediate actions which needed to be addressed and advanced. This has assisted CYPSC to further develop in a strategic, integrated and sustainable manner to support the coordination and planning of efficient and effective services for children and young people. It is also intended to further structure and support the capacity of CYPSC to reflect relevant policies and emerging developments and respond to emerging needs, both national and local.
• The aim of Shared Vision, Next Steps is to provide a succinct road map for the further development of CYPSC. It includes 37 target actions across 10 work areas:

1. Strengthened leadership

2. Collaboration

3. Building capacity

4. Resourcing

5. Planning and reporting

6. Data and evidence

7. Communications

8. Participation of children and young people

9. Joint commissioning

10. Evaluation

• The 37 actions outlined in this document have provided a basis for a work programme for CYPSC for 2019 – 2024 based on policy and strategic direction from the DCEDIY with input from Tusla and input from relevant sectors.

2. Mid Term Report 2019 – 2021

• This mid-term report for Shared Vision, Next Steps provides an update on the work achieved in the development of the CYPSC at a national level, and by individual CYPSC across Ireland over the period 2019–2021.
• The report provides information regarding the funding of CYPSC from 2019 to 2021 and highlights CYPSC best practice under the five national outcomes for children and young people during this time.
• Of the 37 actions, 22 have been completed (60%), 11 are in progress (30%) and 4 have not progressed to date (10%).

3. Overview of Children and Young People’s Services Committees

• Children and Young People’s Services Committees (CYPSC) are a key structure identified by Government to plan and co-ordinate services for children and young people in every county in Ireland. The overall purpose is to improve outcomes for children and young people by enhancing interagency co-operation at a local and national level.
• Through their work in local areas, the CYPSC aim to realise the five national outcomes set out in Better Outcomes, Brighter Futures: The National Policy Framework for Children and Young People (2014 – 2020). There is full national coverage with 27 CYPSC nationwide with Coordinator’s employed by Tusla.
• Examples of CYPSC work (but not exhaustive) includes:

-Mental Health and well-being

-DSGBV responses and initiatives

-Early Years

-Disability supports

-Learning and Development/Education

-Healthy Ireland initiatives

-Parenting and Family supports

-LGBTI+ supports

-Children and Young People’s participation

-Homelessness supports

-IPAS supports

-Supports for Ukrainian families

-Supports for Traveller and Roma families

-Play and recreation

-Disadvantaged communities

-Supports for the Island communities

-Youth work / youth justice projects

• The national website for Children and Young People’s Services Committees www.cypsc.ie has been developed as a focal point for information on CYPSC and a gateway to information on individual county-level committees.

Dear Service Provider 

Reminder - Core Funding for the Programme Year 2023/2024 
 

Core Funding Application Module:

The application process for the Core Funding for the Programme Year 2023/2024 opened on the 23 June 2023. 

In advance of submitting a 2023/2024 Core Funding Application Module, Partner Services must ensure that their Service Profile is up to date, and that they have completed the 22/23 Annual Early Years Sector Profile Survey.   

Existing Core Funding Partner Services who have completed the June Review and Confirm process and are at an approved status will be able to transfer their most recent Core Funding Application data into their new Core Funding Application Module for 2023/2024.

It is important to note that although the window has now closed, services who have not yet completed the Review and Confirm are still required to complete the process and the Review and Confirm form will remain open on the Early Years Hive.

To submit a 2023/2024 Core Funding application Module please go to the Programmespage of the Early Years Hive.

A training video on the Core Funding Application Process for the Programme Year 2023/2024 is available here.

Core Funding Partner Service Funding Agreement:

Once a partner service has submitted their application, they have a 14-day window to activate the Core Funding Partner Service Funding Agreement 2023 which they will find on the Programmespage of the Early Years Hive under the heading All Programme Applications and in the Available Programme Applications section.

You can view a copy of the Core Funding Partner Service Funding Agreement 2023 in Core Funding Documents.

A training video is available here to guide Partner Services on accepting the Funding Agreement.

Support:

If your service requires support completing an application, additional resources are available under the Core Funding Documents section on Hive.

Your local CCC (County Childcare Committee) also remains available to assist you in completing your Core Funding Application Module.

We held training sessions that provided an overview of the Programme Readiness for the Core Funding 2023/2024 programme year. Three training sessions took place, and a recording of the webinar, the PowerPoint from the training sessions and a Q&A document are now available here under Training Videos section of Early Years Hive.

If you require any further assistance or clarification on any of the above, please contact the Early Years Provider centre by raising a ticket as follows: -

• Programme: Core Funding 
• Request Type: Application 
• Request Type Detail: Application   

Best wishes,   

The Early Years Team