Priorities

Summary of Strategic Priority Interagency Actions for DLR CYPSC (2020-2022)

A colourful foldout summarising the priority intergency actions detailed in the DLR CYPSC plan is available here.  

The following 27 Strategic Priority Interagency Actions priorities agreed by Dún Laoghaire Rathdown Children and Young People's Committee (DLR CYPSC) for 2020-2022 have been informed by a participatory needs analysis and an inclusive consultation process which took place with service providers, service managers, service users and young people from a range of diverse ages and backgrounds.

The priorities have also been informed by a review of the available socio-demographic evidence regarding the child and youth population in Dun Laoghaire Rathdown, available here

Outcome 1: Active and Healthy, Physical and Mental Wellbeing

1.0  Increase interagency support for breastfeeding: Develop interagency project plan to increase breastfeeding rates in Dún Laoghaire Local Health Office Area through inter-sectoral support for breastfeeding including in public spaces.

1.1 Support for the mental health of babies, early years children and their parents: Establish an interagency Infant and Early Years Mental Health network to support professional development, build workforce capacity to implement the new ‘First Five’ policy, support professional development and raise public awareness of this critical developmental period.

1.2 Reliable, detailed data on physical health & activity of the Child & Youth Population: Commission and support further research, in collaboration with stakeholder services, to illuminate the health & physical activity needs for the child and youth populations in Dún Laoghaire Rathdown.

1.3 Visible, accessible and timely Youth Mental Health & Wellbeing Services: Develop an interagency initiative to enhance mental health service knowledge exchange, visibility and provision, and engage young people in the development of an online mental health and wellbeing service guide

1.4 Coordinated health & mental health supports for homeless children, young people and parents: Organise interagency collaboration to provide early intervention health & mental health supports for children, young people and parents in temporary homeless accommodation in DLR

1.5 Culturally sensitive health and mental health services for Traveller children, youth and parents: Facilitate interagency collaboration to deliver effective prevention and early intervention health and mental health service provision delivered in culturally appropriate ways for Traveller children, young people and parents in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown.

1.6 Interagency support for young people who have withdrawn from school due to mental health difficulties: Develop and evaluate a pilot interagency mental health and educational support programme for adolescents who have withdrawn from school due to mental health difficulties in Dún Laoghaire Rathdown. (In collaboration with DLR CYPSC Education & Learning Subgroup)

Outcome 2:    Learning and Development

2.0 Early intervention supports for children with social-emotional-behavioural difficulties in early years: Support and evaluate a pilot of ‘Nurture’ rooms in DLR Early Years Childcare and Education services as an early intervention initiative to support the wellbeing of young children in need of extra supports

2.1 Improvement of child and youth social emotional wellbeing in schools & communities: Work with interagency stakeholders to identify current provision of evidence based Social Emotional Learning programmes, training, delivery partnerships & resources available to support implementation and evaluation 

2.2 Removal of barriers to education and learning for homeless children and young people: Establish an interagency working group to identify the learning and educational needs, and to organise appropriate supports for children and young people in temporary homeless accommodation in DLR.

2.3 Improve educational outcomes for Traveller children and young people in DLR: Organise an interagency educational event to understand how best to improve educational outcomes for Traveller children and young people

2.4 Develop an evidence informed county wide initiative to improve online safety and informed behaviour: Support and evaluate a pilot interagency cybersafety training programme for 5th and 6th class primary school students, and  pilot an online rapid response initiative to improve safe and informed behaviour online in a specific community in DLR.

2.5 Proactive interagency support for children and young people to develop safe, healthy relationships and to protect themselves and others from sexual violence: Support implementation of the relationships and sexual health programme in community based youth and school settings, in post-primary schools, identify early intervention programmes for the early years & primary school settings, and promote HEA consent framework with partners

2.6 Supports for children and young people experiencing difficulties with educational transitions: Support interagency collaboration to plan event on educational Transitions, a Transition plan for the county’s educational services, and a youth friendly website of support services

2.7 Early identification & support for Young People not in Education, Employment or Training: Support interagency collaboration to identify Young People Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEETS) in DLR early to connect them to training, education or employment support.

Outcome 3:    Safety and Protection from Harm

3.0 Improve access for parents and children to Domestic Abuse crisis intervention services in DLR: Facilitate an interagency planning process to secure a Domestic Abuse Crisis Intervention Services including a refuge and wraparound services in DLR

3.1 Offer access for mothers and children to an evidence based recovery programme from Domestic Abuse: Interagency planning, deliver and evaluation of an evidence based Child and Mother Recovery group programme in Dún Laoghaire Rathdown.

3.2 Develop access for children and young people with separated parents to safe, supervised, community-based ‘contact’ locations to facilitate their continued relationship with their non-resident parent: Facilitate an interagency planning process to establish community based contact locations to support children and young people to have safe and healthy contact with their non-resident separated parent.

3.3 Develop support services for male victims and male perpetrators of Domestic, Gender Based Sexual Violence: Collaborate with stakeholder services to identify and support the implementation of evidence based programmes to support male victim recovery from violence and abuse and to enable male perpetrators of violence to change violent attitudes and behaviour towards women and children

Outcome 4: Economic Security

4.0 Coordinate interagency planning and support for children and young people experiencing homelessness in Dún Laoghaire Rathdown: Facilitate an interagency working group to focus on what data sharing and collaborative action is possible to progress evidence informed recommendations to improve safety and wellbeing outcomes for children and young people at risk of or living in homelessness

Outcome 5: Connected, respected and contributing to their world

5.0 Support children and young people experiencing homelessness to express their needs and recommendations: Facilitate an interagency group to work out how to ethically and sensitively offer children, young people and parents experiencing homelessness, the opportunity to express their experience, needs and recommendations on the improvement of services and outcomes.

5.1 Information for parents on available parenting supports in Dún Laoghaire Rathdown: Support an interagency Parenting Support Subgroup to map and identify parenting supports and services in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown to improve access to parenting support resources and services. 

5.2 Capacity building for services working with parents to implement outcomes-based, evidence informed programmes & practise: Identify the support needs of parents,  link services into the evidence base of ‘what works’ & contribute to the development of a national parenting support framework through DCYA Parenting Support Unit.

5.3 Participation of children and young people as service users & young civic leaders in DLR CYPSC: Facilitate the development of a rolling ‘Young Leaders’ participation forum to inform and listen and support young people from educational, community, health and social care organisations in DLR to progress interagency projects with DLR CYPSC support where possible.

5.4 Support for organisations to engage in participatory practise with young service users: Organise a skill building initiative so services in DLR have the opportunity to learn more about models of participatory practise with children and young people and develop the skill set to implement these.  

Change Management Actions

6.0 Information sharing between services to support early intervention for 'at risk' children & young people: Development of interagency protocols at senior management level for clarifying pathways and process for interagency collaboration & data sharing where feasible

6.1 Joint commissioning of research and training events to gather relevant data and guide interventions: Interagency identification & commissioning of training and research to guide area interventions

Click here to find another CYPSC.