ABC and CYPSC

The Area Based Childhood (ABC) Programme is a cross-departmental initiative announced in the Programme for Government. The ABC programme targets investment in evidence-informed interventions to improve the long-term outcomes for children and families living in areas of disadvantage.

It aims to break "the cycle of child poverty” through integrated and effective services and interventions. It aims to take this approach within areas where child poverty is most deeply entrenched and to achieve the following outcomes:

• Child health and development

• Children's learning

• Parenting

• Integrated service delivery

• Services embedded in mainstream services

There are thirteen Areas delivering the ABC Programme across Ireland and many of the Areas are connecting with their local CYPSC in order to enhance opportunities for interagency collaboration and to work together towards the embedding of approaches in mainstream services. There are variations in local ABC programme governance and operational structures including a CYPSC serving as the managing consortium for the initiative and the operational group formed to implement the initiative being a sub-group of the CYPSC. The table below plots ABC programme sites in relation to the CYPSC area within which they operate.

For further information on the ABC Programme click here.