Published on Monday23rdOctober2017
Tusla to invest an additional €5.0m into their Family Resource Centre Programme
Pictured left to right are Blossom Moore, 3, and Children and Youth Affairs Minister Dr Katherine Zappone
Tusla – Child and Family Agency will be investing an additional €5.0m into its Family Resource Centre Programme between now and the end of 2018.
This includes additional once off funding to centres between now and the end of 2017, further increases in funding to existing centres next year and the expansion of the Programme to include an additional 11 new centres.
The funding available falls into a number of categories:
- €2.120m to fund small works and the upgrading of equipment in existing FRCs before the end of this year:
- €1.76m to set up and support 11 new FRCs in 2018
- Subject to centres satisfying certain criteria, it is intended that additional funding of up to €10,000 will be made available to each of the existing 109 FRCs.
The announcement was jointly made by Children and Youth Affairs Minister Dr Katherine Zappone and the Chief Executive of Tusla, Mr. Fred McBride, during a visit to Kilnamanagh Family Resource Centre in Tallaght, Dublin.
Minister Zappone said:
Family Resource Centres are impacting on the lives of children and youth, their families and their communities every day. I have seen the value of this work first hand as I travelled around the country.
Vibrant and strong centres are working with local people of all ages. Community childcare services, youth clubs, education and training courses as well as activities aimed at older people are providing literally cradle to grave support.
These vibrant community hubs are also places which children, young people and families can use during times of personal difficulty. Whether during bereavement, unemployment or periods of loneliness the centre is always there to provide support Over one million people now have access to a Family Resource Centre – and I want to see this number increase. In Budget 2018 I committed the Government would do more. Today I begin honouring that promise.
Funding applications can be made via the Tusla website. www.tusla.ie