Download the PDF document titled 'A Formative Evaluation - Dlvec.ie

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There are opportunities to develop practice links with the Youth at Risk Network, promote better relationships with
court officers and working within the Restorative Partnership with the VEC in supporting staff working in care settings,
drawing on best practice in the UK, Ireland and elsewhere. There is also the potential to assist young people access
Further Education opportunities, suitably supported.
OUTPUTS
Netcare was able to offer these tutors a restorative practices day. However these tutors are hindered a little by the
part time nature of their employment and the fact that, in a sense, they are, peripatetic.
Parental support links in some specific areas have been developed to address failures in school, in family and
anti-social behaviours in the community. The VEC and Youth Service deliver ‘dads and lads’-‘mums and girls’ programmes
that are stepping stones on a restorative path.
The new relationships between Health, Care, Youth Services, Garda, In School and Out of School providers are an
important model. The VEC have now freed tutors to work within Adult and Community education alongside
targeted groups of young people identified by the local agencies and services.
OUTCOMES
It is now possible to imagine a mentoring programme with these tutors to assist them develop this work.
Out of school- in school linkages are now being engaged. The potential of the Youth Service, Further Education and
Out of School Education Service supports being integrated around a particular group of identified young people is
being considered.
There is a need for school based staff, police, social workers and out of school providers to engage more because a
small number of the same young people may be going round this system, being passed on but not connected with.
ISSUES
The youth service is not at a stage yet where their programmes are evidencing change sufficiently to challenge
public policy. The evidencing of change in this state of the parties may be a focus for the Restorative Partnership in
this coming year.
The links to Education Welfare are developing and this is very positive.
Links to the National Welfare Board are now stronger but need developed still.
There are no overview systems emerging in relation to this group of young people. The restorative potential of this
work is not completely understood within the network as yet.
If a wider linkage was established by the above inter-agency group (see outcomes) it would be possible to establish
a dedicated programme for the ‘readily identifiable core group’ of young people who are consistently falling between
the cracks and who could be supported, challenged and tracked across their social needs in terms of health,
housing, education and accessing opportunities.