Family Support
The dominant focus in child care services since the early 1990s has been on the protection and care of children who are at risk. More recently, the policy focus has shifted to a more preventive approach to child welfare, involving support to families and individual children, aimed at avoiding the need for further more serious interventions later on.
The Child Welfare and Protection Policy Unit is responsible for the formulation and monitoring of policies in relation to family support. The Health Service Executive (HSE) is responsible for the implementation of policies in relation to family support and the administration of family support projects such as Springboard, Teen Parents Support Project, and Youth Advocacy Programmes.
Review of Family Support Services
The Review of Family Support Services was established in 2003, to inform the planning process and ensure the balanced future development of services provision. To further inform the work of the review consultants were commissioned to undertake pieces of work leading to the publication of the following documents:
• Promoting the Well-Being of Families and Children
• Family Support in Ireland - Definition and Strategic Intent
• Census of Family Support Services in Ireland
