Sir, – The Prevention and Early Intervention Network (PEIN) is concerned about the Government’s plan to establish “family hubs” as a response to the continuing levels of homeless families.
While the proposed facilities would be an improvement on “self-accommodating” hotel-type accommodation, communal living, shared bathrooms and large numbers of families using the same “hub space” will not be conducive to children achieving their developmental milestones.
Research has proven the central importance of the home learning environment in children’s development, and both current and proposed responses to homeless families do not plan for this central factor.
We have multiple evidence-based programmes available, including home-visiting mentoring for parents and early learning for children, which have been shown to significantly reduce parental stress and enhance the home learning environment.
Research in Ireland and internationally has also repeatedly shown that intervening early saves multiples in social and economic costs in the longer term.
This position was strongly endorsed recently by Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, chief executive Fred McBride when he said that Ireland needs a specific early years strategy for children under three and that the State should invest in policies and services which nurture parent-child bonding and relationships in the home.
PEIN also notes the publication of the Future of Healthcare report, which recommends employing or redeploying 900 additional nurses to nourish young families' emotional wellbeing, in addition to physical health.
There is a clear necessity in planning for the current and future needs of homeless families to include a prevention and early intervention approach both in terms of preventing homelessness and in making proven services available for families who are homeless to offset some of the stress and deep uncertainty of having no home.
Recovery from the traumatic experience of being homeless is about much more than relocation to a “housing hub”. It is also about the State making available additional services that strengthen bonding, health, the home learning environment and social engagement.
We know that early intervention works, we have proven parenting and child learning models available – and this is an immediate and priority context in which we should offer them. – Yours, etc,
MARIAN QUINN,
Chairwoman,
Prevention and
Early Intervention Network,
Smithfield,
Dublin 8.