New initiatives for Tipp’s children
Tipperary Children and Young People’s Service Committee (CYPSC) has launched three new initiatives for children and young people in the county. The Tipperary CYPSC is made up of members from across a range of services in the county that work with children and young people, including Tipperary County Council, the HSE, Tusla, Tipperary County Council, An Garda Síochána, Tipperary Education and Training Board, the Probation Service and the Early Years and schools sectors, as well as the Local Development Companies and youth, community and family support services.
The new Tipperary CYPSC website launched is a platform to highlight actions being undertaken to improve outcomes for children and young people in the county. A key element of the new website is a comprehensive online directory for children and young people in Tipperary, aged 0-24 years, and their parents to help connect them with the services they may need locally. Services on the website are arranged under 14 different categories including Health; Family Support; Childcare, Education and Training; and Counselling and Mental Health. In response to a frequent request for access to information about service provision in the area of Additional Needs, Tipperary CYPSC has combined this information in the directory under one category, ‘Disabilities and Additional Needs’ and a range of nine sub-categories. The directory addresses the need in recent years for such a county-wide resource and can be kept up-to-date on the CYPSC website. The website will also host a quarterly Parent Supports calendar, providing up-to-date information on services and parenting programmes running during the year. The link to the website is: www.tipperarychildrenandyoungpeoplesservices.ie.
The participation of children and young people in the services and policies that affect them is a priority for the Tipperary CYPSC. The right of children and young people to have a say in matters concerning their interests is also recognised under Article 12 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. Tipperary CYPSC is committed to promoting this right to participation by children and young people because they have a unique perspective on how and what services and policies will be of value for them.
A ‘Guide to Child and Youth Participation Supports’ has been developed by a sub-group of the Tipperary CYPSC, whose members comprise of Lorraine Duane, Tipperary Education & Training Board; Cate O’Connor, Youth Work Ireland Tipperary; Sheridan Brady, Foróige; Michelle Kelly, Waterford & South Tipperary Community Youth Service; Barbara Gunn, Tipperary Childcare Committee; and Ruairí Ó Caisleáin, Tusla Child and Family Agency and Tipperary CYPSC Coordinator. The guide provides a process for introducing participatory practices into an organisation, and ensuring that children’s voices are listened to, and that their views are considered when decisions are being made that will affect their lives. Copies of the guide will be distributed to staff in all organisations working with Tipperary CYPSC.
In 2019, Tipperary CYPSC commissioned a report to survey the range of services and supports in the county catering to children and young people with additional needs, and their families.
As well as an audit of services, consultation was also undertaken with staff from these services to identify the support needs of the children, young people and their families, service gaps, and recommendations for future service delivery. The report is now available in the ‘resources’ section of www.tipperarychildrenandyoungpeoplesservices.ie and its recommendations will inform the upcoming Tipperary Children and Young People’s Plan.