Local Child and Family Support Networks in Wexford Town, Enniscorthy, New Ross and Gorey have been established. These consist of local statutory providers, local voluntary/community children and family services and staff of Tusla.
Contact Person: Tony Kennedy (Child and Family Support Network Co-ordinator)
Target Age Group: 0-18years
Eligibility:
Children and young people who have been referred to the Social Work Department who are not at risk of abuse but who have unmet needs will be referred by the Intake and Assessment Social Work Team Leader to the Child and Family Support Network Co-ordinator. The Co-ordinator works with various service providers in securing targeted family support services depending on the level of need including the option of Meitheal.
Referrals:
Accepted from the Social Work Department for children and young people who have unmet needs but who do not meet the threshold for a Social Work Child Protection response.
Families and service providers may also contact the Child and Family Support Network Co-ordinator in relation to Meitheal.
Children and young people who are currently receiving a Social Work service may also be referred when it has been assessed that a Social Work service is no longer required but that the young person may benefit from community based support.
Prevention, Partnership and Family Support
The purpose of the Prevention, Partnership and Family Support (formerly Local Area Pathways / LAPS) is to deliver an integrated service to children and families in need of support with the aim of improving outcomes across the five national outcomes. This involves the creation of a collaborative network of community, voluntary and statutory providers so as to improve access to support services for children and their families.
Meitheal
The Prevention, Partnership and Family Support structure is also responsible for operating Meitheal which is a national practice model for all agencies working with children, young people and their families. Meitheal is about preventative support where children have unmet additional / complex needs that require a response but which does not require a referral under Children First.
A Meitheal involves a multi-agency response to address the identified needs and is operated under the guidance of the Child and Family Agency through the Child and Family Support Coordinator.