Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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The Child Poverty and Well-being Programme Office in the Department of the Taoiseach published its initial work programme for the next two and a half years From Poverty to Potential: A Programme Plan for Child Poverty and Well-being 2023-2025on 1^stAugust.

The Programme focuses on six areas that will have the greatest impact on the lives of children who experience poverty.

These six areas are:

1)Income assistance and joblessness

2)Early learning and childcare

3)Reducing the cost of education

4)Family homelessness

5)Consolidating and integrating family and parental assistance, health and well-being

6)Enhancing participation in culture, arts and sport for children and young people affected by poverty.

The six focus areas were identified through extensive consultation with other government Departments and Agencies, and representatives from relevant non-governmental organisations. Importantly, the themes were also informed by information on what is important to children gathered through the established government child participation structures.

As outlined in the Plan, the role of the Child Poverty and Well-being Programme Office is to drive implementation of a broad range of commitments that will impact on the six areas.

In terms of focus area 5) Consolidating and integrating public health, family and parental assistance, and well-being services, this includes enhancing a national approach to integrated services. The overall objective is to facilitate parents and families to understand the range of services on offer and how to access them; to assist providers in developing clearer multi-agency referral pathways; and to promote consistency of access to effective assistance. The Programme Office will work with relevant Departments and Agencies to develop this national approach.

Responsibility for infant and young child feeding lies with the Minister for Health, and the HSE Breastfeeding in a Healthy Ireland Action Planis the framework for progressing help and assistance for breastfeeding in Ireland.