Over €1 million in new funding to support children in international protection system

UP TO €1.3 million in funding for services for children and young people in international protection has been announced by the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth Roderic O’Gorman.

The new funding has been made available to the Children and Young People’s Services Committees (CYPSC) to enhance and expand their delivery of support services to children, young people and families in the International Protection system. 

Up to €50,000 is to be made available to each of the 27 local CYPSC groups across the country.

Proposals were received for a broad range of initiatives to run at local and national level including expansion of the ‘My Place to Play’ initiative, a family support and early childhood development resource, translation of Tusla Parenting Support Guides, summer camps and other projects to integrate children and young people into Irish communities, counselling and trauma supports for young people and the delivery of culturally sensitive parenting programmes.

According to the department, the new funding arises from section 4.5 of the 2021 White Paper to End Direct Provision, which commits to supporting the CYPSC to coordinate and deliver services to children, young people and families in the International Protection system.

Welcoming the announcement, Minister O’Gorman said: “The launch of this new funding model will help enhance supports by bolstering the good work already being carried out by the Children and Young People’s Services Committees, enabling them to progress new initiatives and expand their delivery of services.”