DkIT seminar on children’s welfare

HOW LOUTH IS WORKING TOGETHER TO IMPROVE CHILDREN’S FUTURES

A conference in Dundalk has heard how Ireland’s smallest county is working collaboratively to improve children’s futures.

Over 200 delegates attended the ‘Making Change Happen’ conference in DKIT led by the Genesis Programme which brought together over fifty organisations working with children and families and in collaboration with Louth Children and Young People’s Services Committee (Louth CYPSC), a new roadmap for supporting children’s development in Ireland has been developed.

The conference heard how agencies in Louth have come together to break down barriers and take a truly holistic approach to childhood well-being and family support.

‘ They say it takes a community to raise a child, and in Louth you can see this in action before your eyes,’ said Hugh Doogan, Genesis programme.

He explained that a consortium of over 50 organisations including schools, early years services, community organisations, HSE, Tusla and other agencies have ‘ broken down the barriers that divide them and firmly placed the well-being of children and their families at the heart of their work.’

‘ The maternity and midwifery services work closely with the early years programme leaders.

Interventions pre-birth and a child’s early years are proven to improve child development, decrease social inequality and provide savings for the state and set children off on a better path.’

The conference heard that Ireland has the third lowest spend on pre-primary education of all 31 OCED countries.

‘ This makes the collaborative work between agencies to care for and protect children’s development all the more important,’ said Hugh

‘Schools, community groups, health services and other organisations such as psychology and mental health services and the Department of Social Protection work collaboratively to identify children and families at risk, provide supports to parents and children and try to prevent children falling behind or into social disadvantage.’

The conference was jointly hosted by the Genesis Programme and the Louth CYPSC with the support of the HSE and Tusla.

Delegates travelled from all over the country to the conference in Dundalk Institute of Technology to learn about the new and innovative best practise model being applied in County Louth.

In a particularly innovative move the conference also featured a series of roundtable workshops led by the specialist teams in Louth, with topics including the ‘Strengthening Families’ programme, promoting a new positive infant mental health model.

Details also emerged of the first ever ‘Incredible Beginnings’ programme for early years staff to be completed in the world - which is the latest programme to be developed in the Incredible Years series.