Concern over lack of education welfare officers

CONCERNS have been raised over a lack of education welfare officers in large areas of the Northside.

The Department of Children and Youth Affairs has confirmed to Northside People that currently there are no education welfare officers assigned to the postal districts of Dublin 3, 5 and 17.

There had been none available in the Dublin 13 area also but from next month this situation will change when an officer returns from leave.

Educational welfare officers have a role in ensuring that every child attends a school or otherwise receives a certain minimum education.

The service is provided under the auspices of the National Educational Welfare Board (NEWB).

The NEWB was formerly under the umbrella of the Department of Education and Skills. However, since the establishment of the Child and Family Agency in January, it is now part of the Agency for which Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Frances Fitzgerald, has overall responsibility.

Minister Fitzgerald said that to ensure continuity of service to areas and cases of greatest need, all locations where an education welfare officer is not assigned or where a leave event exists, receive a service provided by a senior officer.

She said the senior educational welfare officers respond to the most

“critical

? situations where children are out of school or have no place.

The Minister added that locations without any education welfare officers would remain priorities for a full education welfare service having regard to the resources available to the Child and Family Agency.

“The Agency is currently reviewing the basis on which the education welfare service is configured and a process is underway with staff to reconfigure services based on the needs of children and young people,

? she said.

“Vacancies that arise in staffing front line services for children and young people at risk of early school leaving will be prioritised by the Agency, in consultation with the Department, in so far as possible working within Government policy on public service numbers aFrom page 1

“It is a matter of grave concern to me that there is no dedicated education welfare officer for the majority of areas in my constituency of Dublin Bay North,

? he told Northside People.

“The areas of Dublin 3, 5, 13 and 17 have large populations, particularly of school-going age and a continuing problem of early school leaving in some areas.

“The educational welfare service is an important tool in ensuring that children receive education in accordance with their constitutional rights.

?

Deputy Broughan acknowledged that there is a service provided to these areas by senior educational welfare officers.

“However, Minister Fitzgerald, has said these officers respond in critical situations,

? he stated.

“It would be much more preferable to have education welfare officers in these areas to monitor school attendance and support families and children in difficulty.

?

The total number of educational welfare officers in the country was 59 in 2011, 57 in 2012, 59 in 2013 and 58 (19 in Dublin) to date this year. There are 12 senior educational welfare officers and three regional managers employed nationally.

Deputy Broughan added:

“I will continue to raise this matter in Dáil Ã?ireann, particularly because the overall number of education welfare officers has remained unchanged over the past three years but yet there appears to be a problem with the distribution of EWOs across the country.

?