The Tallaght West Childhood Development Initiative (CDI) process evaluation Thematic Report No. 1: the origins and development of CDI and its strategy 'A place for children: Tallaght West'

Abstract

Children are now firmly at the centre of a variety of legislative initiatives and statutory and voluntary services working for families. Legislation in recent years has spoken about the paramountcy of the child, emphasising participation, and highlighting the need for organisations to collaborate towards the achievement of better outcomes for children and young people. Indeed, this collaborative spirit has witnessed new partnerships between the Irish State and philanthropic bodies in developing and promoting new responses and services to the needs of children and families. One such collaboration, between the Office of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs (OMCYA), which operates the Prevention and Primary Intervention Programme for Children (PEIP), and the Atlantic Philanthropies Ireland (hereafter AP) (which operates the Disadvantaged Children and Youth programme) has witnessed the development of three innovative programmes of work. These programmes are the Tallaght West Childhood Development Initiative; Young Ballymun; and Preparing for Life. This report is the first of five thematic, process evaluation reports of the first of these programmes - The Tallaght West Childhood Development Initiative.