Holly Cairns
Question:38. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the steps he is taking to provide capital funding to family resource centres. [15565/23]
View answerThursday, 30 March 2023
Questions (38)
Written answers
Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, administers the Family Resource Centre (FRC) Programme which provides funding support to 121 FRCs across the country. My Department allocates core funding for the FRC Programme and, since 2019, an additional €1.5m has been provided in funding, which has meant that yearly funding has amounted to €18m for this programme rising to over €20m post Covid.
I recognise and value the very positive impact of the work of the Family Resource Centres in supporting families and local communities. The centres provide a holistic service of child, family and community support and advocacy to all children and families in their community. This universal accessibility allows for early identification of need, provision of appropriate interventions, and timely referrals to appropriate services for more intensive and targeted work as required.
I should inform the Deputy that the funding from my Department represents only a portion of the total funding available to Family Resource Centres nationally. Family Resource Centres draw on various sources of funding provided by other Government Departments and Agencies. Tusla does not have a dedicated budget for capital or building works for third party organisations.
A spending review of Tusla-funded family support services is ongoing. A summary of the review was published in December 2022 and two detailed chapters are expected in the near future. This review will help inform future priorities for investment in these services.
I will continue to engage with Tusla, and Family Resource Centres on the key issue of their funding and sustainability of the valuable services they provide to our communities. I will consider Tusla's provision of Family support services in my Performance Framework for Tusla for the period 2024-2026.
In the meantime, Tusla continues to work with community-based family support organisations to best meet the needs of vulnerable children, families and communities.