Denis Naughten TD has welcomed a survey of local children, seeking their views for the development on a new National Children’s Strategy.
The new Children’s Strategy will set out the Governments targets for child services and how they will impact on the day to day lives of local children.
While many professionals will have a direct input into the plan, local children will also have a role through a survey which has been circulated to primary & secondary schools as well as youth reach centres.
Over the next week children throughout the local area will be asked to complete this survey, so that they have a direct say in their own hopes and that of future generations.
The objective behind this strategy is to improve the quality of the lives of children and to achieve this it is important that we obtain the views of children themselves.
Far too often Government and its official agencies have ignored the voice of the child, a point which has been highlighted in many abuse cases in the past.
“It is now important that we give children a direct role in determining their own future” concluded Denis Naughten
PRESS RELEASE FROM MINISTER FOR CHILDREN
4/4/11
Minister Frances Fitzgerald launches a national consultation process with children and young people for the National Children’s Strategy (2012-2017)
Minister Frances Fitzgerald TD, today launched a consultation to discover the issues of most importance to children and young people to inform development of the new National Children’s Strategy (2012-2017). The consultation will take place in the week Monday, 4th to Friday 8th April. Speaking at the launch, Minister Fitzgerald said: ‘my Department will lead action across Government in relation to children and young people and take decisions in children’s best interests’.
‘Specifically, the Department of Children will lead the development of harmonised policy and quality, integrated service delivery for children and young people and will carry out specific functions in the social care field and drive coordinated actions across a range of sectors, including health, education, youth justice, sport, arts and culture. My presence, as Minister for Children, at the Cabinet table will enable and support this approach in a seamless way,’ added the Minister.
‘I am delighted to launch this consultation, which is one important element and approach in the development of the National Children’s Strategy. The Strategy is based on the structure of the first National Children’s Strategy (2000-2010) and rooted in the vision of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. The publication of the new National Children’s Strategy, which we aim to complete by Autumn 2011, will give us the opportunity to set out a clear roadmap for the next five years,’ continued Minister Fitzgerald.
‘In essence, this consultation process will reach every school and Youthreach Centre in the country, with questionnaires asking children and young people what’s good, what’s not good and what they would change about their lives in Ireland today.’
‘‘A research team from Trinity College, Dublin (TCD) has been contracted to manage and run the national consultation in cooperation with my Department. All consultation data will be analysed by the TCD research team and fed into the development of the new Strategy,’ she added.
A report of the children’s consultation process will be compiled and published online.