department of social and family affairs annual report 2006 - Welfare.ie

goal 5: poverty, social inclusion and families
> Co-operation between Ireland
and Northern Ireland on Social
Inclusion issues
The Irish and UK National Strategies for Social
Protection and Social Inclusion, 2006-2008,
contain common text outlining how the UK and
Irish Governments are committed to developing
and promoting co-operation in relation to
combating poverty and social exclusion. The
common text also appears in Northern Ireland’s
Lifetime Opportunities: Government’s Anti-Poverty
and Social Inclusion Strategy for Northern Ireland
and will feature in Ireland’s National Action Plan
for Social Inclusion 2007-2016.
The common text commits both jurisdictions to
preparing a Joint Report to include:
• an overview of areas of existing North/South
co-operation
• areas potentially suitable for further cooperation
and
• advice on the mechanisms by which this work
might be undertaken and delivered.
The agreed Report will be submitted to the British
Irish Inter-Governmental Conference (BIIGC).
> OBJECTIVE 4
Develop a strategic process to facilitate the
development of integrated policies to meet the
needs of families in a changing society.
Strategic approach to supporting families
A report was commissioned in 2006 which
looked at the key demographic, economic, social
and other relevant changes taking place which
are impacting on families and family life. On
foot of this, it was agreed that a publication
will be prepared that will aim to describe
families in modern Ireland, to detail the range
of supports available and to outline major policy
developments over the past decade. It will
also include a summary of supports specifically
directed at families and will outline the likely
future trends in relation to family change and
the challenges these pose for current policies and
programmes.
> OBJECTIVE 5
Ensure that the Family Support Agency (FSA)
receives the necessary support and resources to
enable it carry out its functions and implement its
strategy in relation to supports for families.
The Family Support Agency was allocated a
budget of over €28m in 2006, an increase of
some 15% on the budget in 2005. This level of
funding allowed the Agency to deliver on its
Strategic Plan commitments in 2006 which
included the provision of support services and
related information for families, the continued
development of the Family Resource Centre
Programme, further expansion of the national
Family Mediation Service. Specific achievements
during 2006 included:-
• The further expansion of the national Family
Mediation Service to 16 centres.
• An increase in funding for the family
counselling grants scheme to over €9 million
leading to the direct support of more than 540
voluntary and community groups nationwide.
• The publication of a very positive independent
review of the Counselling Grants scheme, which
found the scheme ‘highly effective.’
• Total funding for the Family Resource Centre
(FRC) programme in 2006 amounted to over
€12.9 million. The NDP target of having 100
Centres included in the FRC programme by the
end of 2006 was achieved.
> OBJECTIVE 6
Complete the development of policies to provide
a more effective and integrated range of income
and other supports for families at risk of poverty,
particularly lone parents and large families,
designed to enable them achieve greater self
sufficiency and social inclusion.
> Family Services Project
The Family Services Project fund is used to provide
or co-fund training and development programmes
for disadvantaged Social Welfare customers and
their families including very young lone mothers,
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