Boost for local children

PARENTS and young children in Finglas are set to benefit from a new childhood programme designed to improve the lives of children in disadvantaged areas.

Finglas was one of 13 locations nationwide selected for the

?¬30 million Area-Based Childhood (ABC) early intervention programmes that’s co-funded by Atlantic Philanthropies, a private foundation set up by Irish-American businessman Chuck Feeney to support health and social projects in several countries.

The ABC programme targets investment in evidence-based early interventions – from pregnancy onwards – to improve the lives and futures for children and families living in areas of disadvantage.

Local TD Róisín Shortall (Ind) welcomed the inclusion of Finglas in the children and parenting initiative, which was the result of a successful application from Better Finglas, a consortium made up of local groups, schools, Dublin City Council and State agencies.

“I fought hard to have a commitment to such funding contained in the Programme for Government,

? said Deputy Shortall.

“I am glad to see that this is one promise the Government appears to be delivering on. Early intervention programmes are vital if we are ever to break the cycle of poverty and exclusion in large parts of Dublin.

“It is about giving kids a chance in life and preventing problems before they begin. And it saves money in the long run.

?

Following the successful application confirmed last week, the Finglas ABC Programme now moves forward to design stage. If it receives final approval it will be a Barnardos-led project designed to provide better services for parents and children in Finglas South, Finglas West and part of Finglas East.

The Finglas programme will be modelled on the successful youngballymun Initiative with an emphasis on child mental health, supports for parents and early interventions in literacy, numeracy and identifying health issues.

“A huge effort has gone into getting the project to this stage and Barnardos, Finglas Drugs Task Force, Dublin City Council, local HSE staff, all of the local schools and other groups deserve a lot of credit for getting it this far,

? Deputy Shortall continued.

“Services such as early education and parenting supports can make a huge difference and it’s important that we see these implemented as soon as possible.

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There was good news too for the youngballymun programme which is now set to come under the ABC umbrella. Set up as a Prevention & Early Intervention Programme (PEIP) in 2007 it has supported thousands of local parents and children through various stages of personal development.

Minister for Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Frances Fitzgerald, said that evaluations from three pilot programmes, including youngballymun, demonstrated significant improvements in outcomes for children in a number of areas.

The success of these programmes was instrumental in the decision to move forward with the ABC initiative.

“I am delighted that, following a very competitive process, nine further proposals have emerged which have the potential to enter the programme, joining the three sites already approved,

? she said.

The minister thanked Atlantic Philanthropies for matching the e14.85 million the Government made available to the ABC programmes.