COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

South Dublin County Council Crest

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, January 15, 2024

QUESTION NO. 1

QUESTION: Councillor L. Hagin Meade

To ask the Chief Executive about services provided for children living in SDCC who have experienced homelessness, who are now housed by SDCC through HAP, RAS or social housing?

REPLY:

The role of Local Authority’s Housing Department is to provide social housing supports to persons whose need for accommodation have been assessed in accordance with Section 20 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Act) 2009. Social housing supports includes Council owned dwellings, Council leased dwellings, dwellings owned by Approved Housing Bodies, RAS and HAP applicants. In 2023, the Council allocated homes to 172 households exiting from homeless services.

The Council provides a professional social work service to housing department service users. This ranges from providing housing advice and information to the provision of targeted social work intervention, crisis intervention and support. In addition to engaging with casework and interacting with Tusla (The Child and Family Agency) and a wide range of external agencies. 

The South Dublin Children and Young Services Committee (CYPSC) has identified the need to build on the work of its members to date in responding to the needs of homeless children and young people. This includes creative approaches to supporting families who are living in emergency accommodation with minimum standards, and improving facilities within family hubs, along with further supports for families to navigate the housing system. CYPP 3 Year Plan Printed Version South Dublin CYPSC.pdf

Families in NGO managed family hubs are provided with a range of support services including cooking facilities, meals on site, play spaces, cooking and laundry facilities, communal recreation space, key-working and homework clubs. 

Families in EA with school going children have access to free school travel, via the issuing of Leap Cards to eligible families. Each family is also linked with a support worker.   

Focus Ireland are commissioned to provide a service to all families in private emergency accommodation via in-reach or through their family centre. In addition to this, each family in private emergency accommodation has access to a housing support officer. Barnardos, Dublin Simon, PMVT and Crosscare also provide support and services to those in homelessness and those who have exited homelessness.