The Community

After-Schools Project

(CASPr)

Evaluation and Policy Options

Coinneach Shanks

From the Archives:

original document published 2002

A shortened version was

launched by An Taoiseach Bertie Ahern
Published in 2006
Acknowledgements........................................................................................................2
Coinneach Shanks..................................................................................................2
Author’s Introduction: July 2009...................................................................................3
SECTION 1: The Evaluation project.......................................................................4
1.0 Introduction....................................................................................................4
1.1 Background to the localities served by CASPr..............................................5
SECTION 2: CASPr history and development........................................................9
2.0 Introduction....................................................................................................9
2.2 Operational practice .....................................................................................12
3.3 Throughput and outcomes............................................................................14
SECTION 3: A consumer model for CASPr .........................................................16
3.0 Introduction..................................................................................................16
3.1 Access and the CASPr project .....................................................................16
3.3 Choice and the CASPr Project.....................................................................21
3.4 Voice and the CASPr project.......................................................................22
3.4 Accountability and the CASPr Project ........................................................23
3.5 Monitoring ...................................................................................................25
3.6 Summary of Consumer aspects....................................................................25
SECTION 4: CASPr and the finance question ......................................................28
4.0 Introduction..................................................................................................28
4.1 Funding difficulties......................................................................................28
4.2 Funders and Funding Structure....................................................................29
Table 4 .....................................................................................................................30
4.4 Funding Options...........................................................................................35
SECTION 6: The Child Protection Function.........................................................38
6.0 Child Protection and CASPr ........................................................................38
6.1 Legislation and guidelines ...........................................................................38
6.2 Procedures and Practice ...............................................................................39
SECTION 7: Options for development..................................................................41
7.0 Basic elements .............................................................................................41
7.1 Development ................................................................................................42
7.2 Training for Transformation ........................................................................44
7.3 Child and parent representation ...................................................................44
7.4 CASPr organisation .....................................................................................45
Appendix "A": Executive Summary....................................................................48
Appendix "B": Summary of recommendations ...............................................53
Appendix "C" Eliciting the voice of the child ..................................................55
Appendix "D" Programme Planning sheet: example figures hypothetical .......56
APPENDIX "E" ...................................................................................................57

1
Acknowledgements

The consultant wishes to thank all those who assisted in the evaluation.

In particular, the co-ordinator and her staff assisted in setting up meetings and
introduced to me to all relevant agencies and contacts. The chair, treasurer and other
members of the Management Board were extremely helpful

Supervisors and adult participants were most courteous and accommodating. I

appreciate their open and frank approach to answering questions.

I was particularly thankful for the opportunity to observe the young people and
enjoyed assisting with their homework. The children were well behaved and adapted
well to visits. I was pleased to be accepted enough to play with them during
badminton, football and swimming sessions.

It is always interesting to establish whether there is awareness of a community project

working in the locality. I am pleased that the residents both know and respect the
CASPr project. The residents of the localities that I visited treated me with good
humour, offering assistance whenever required.

Coinneach Shanks
October 2000

2
Author’s Introduction: July 2009

This is the original text of a report carried out for an excellent local project in 2000.
At the time, it did include a set of colour-coded recommendations and executive
summary. Only the latter is now available. Recommendations remain within the text
however. The illustrative charts were constructed using the excellent MicroGrafx flow
charter. At the time it was unusual to see such charts in evaluations and the same
applies to the qualitative information displays - although now they are commonplace.

At a later stage, the CASPr organisation received a Combat Poverty grant to produce
a shortened version of the report – a task that was carried out by the author. The
shortened report was launched by the then Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern.

In the opinion of the author, it was the funding and support structure of the CASPr
organisation that made it a success. The organisation embodied an elegant approach
that made an excellent use of resources at community level. The projects showed that
it was possible to train those on low incomes or benefit-dependant and to facilitate
them in moving to mainstream employment. At the same time as helping with after
schools work, women were also returning to sit the school leaving certificates – an
opportunity they had missed. In republishing the report here, I hope that it give others
inspiration, especially in this downturn in the economy.

The project gave me the unusual opportunity to carry out participant observation with
the groups. It’s not so often that researchers get that opportunity outside the university
environment. So I would like to thank everyone who took part in the project,
especially the young people.

3
SECTION 1: The Evaluation project

1.0 Introduction
The CASPr project is an education and training project, which involves both adults
and children at the community level. Current funding includes The Dept of Social,
Community and Family Affairs, FAS, Drugs Task Force, St Vincent de Paul and
funds raised by the organisation itself. It has previously been the recipient of funding
from large EU programmes.

In comparison with many community organisations this project is relatively mature.

CASPr has transformed a small voluntary project into a medium-large government-
funded programme. It has a high level of voluntary support from area professionals
based in the social and community sector. Therese professionals, many of whom were
involved in the initial stages of the organisation, continue to perform Management
Board duties.

The organisation targets local children and adults in an innovative manner. A

children's after-school project covers three school classes from different schools in
this area - an area typified by social disadvantage. Children are met from school and
are thereafter involved in supervised homework sessions and developmental play until
early evening. Social outings, short vacations and sports sessions supplement these
activities. The three teams of supervisor/helpers comprise adult workers, themselves
local people from the neighbourhood. Some are parents of the children involved.

Adult helpers are employed through FAS and as such are paid FAS rates whilst
retaining some social benefits. These helpers have particular training needs and some
have literacy and numeracy problems. The educational and self-developmental needs
of these adults are addressed by the organisation whilst they help the children. This
takes place in an interactive and sophisticated way, such that adults and children are
developed in a "simultaneous" or contemporaneous manner.

The style and operation of the project is extremely ambitious. It is a project, which
places much confidence in the ability of ordinary people to overcome significant
obstacles. The necessary levels of observation and supervision skills required for
working with children can only be established through a combination of supervised
practice and formal training. Yet many of the "target" adults are relatively unfamiliar
with classroom and workshop learning and there are some that regard their school
education as an unrewarding and sterile experience. Thus project work can be
demanding and intense, necessitating a considerable level of technical and emotional
support for those who are constrained by a limited formal education.

The project's success has much to do with its "goodness of fit" with the area in which
it operates. This is a very close-knit area and CASPr has flourished in a situation
where others could flounder or even be rejected. There is a constant queue of local
parents waiting to take up the offer of a place with the CASPr project and the level of
general awareness of the project within the locality is extremely high. Additionally,
the children who take part ion the CASPr Project appear to have high consumer
satisfaction. This is indicated by the stability of membership and, in some cases,
unwillingness to "move on" to other clubs.

4
Naturally there have been some difficulties - which will be tackle by this examination.
However, the necessity for particular resources - especially appropriate
accommodation - has placed some strain on the organisation. Inconsistencies in
financial resourcing and cash flow and indeed the limitations placed on funds
utilisation by major funding agencies, have stood in the way of efficient operating. In
addition therefore, to examining consumer satisfaction and effectiveness, this
evaluation will therefore attempt to determine what kind of funding profile would
give CASPr the resources and the flexibility it needs to meet operational demands.

1.1 Background to the localities served by CASPr

The CASPr Project is located within Dublin north-east inner city area (NEIC1).
Whilst, as previously noted, this is an area characterised by high levels of social and
economic disadvantage - this may be said to be an inadequate (understated)
description. The Draft Action Plan2 of Dublin Corporation confirms the problems of
the area. In this period of rapid economic and social change, the localities under
review resemble a "twilight zone" as defined by sociologists and urban planners.

The localities targeted by the CASPr project are roughly congruent with the Action
Plan area. This area extends from Buckingham Street in the west to the Royal canal in
the east and from Connolly Station and the railway line in the south to Summerhill in
the north. The Mountjoy "A" ward of the NEIC together with Ballybough "A" and
"B" wards, contain the largest concentration of local authority estates in Dublin. The
primarily five storey blocks date from the 1940s and many are in poor
(environmental) condition. The area is described as one of:

• high unemployment
• social disadvantage
• environmental decay
• high levels of vacancy (void properties)
• vandalism
• dereliction

The area is said to be perceived as isolated, desolate and hostile with high levels of
petty crime, vandalism and drug abuse3. Problems relating to poverty, congestion and
crime date back to the mid nineteenth century. Currently, the general look of the area
can be depressing with ugly graffiti, and houses in disrepair. Residents are subject to
environmental pressure with heavy industrial and commercial traffic passing through
the localities involved. Much housing is of a poor standard and in need of external
repair and there is limited public open or space or access to recreational resources. It
should be borne in mind that although residents have "access" to key shopping
facilities around the Ilac and Jervis shopping areas (10 minutes walk), that the
purchasing power of local residents is relatively low. So although residents can reach

1
NEAC - North East Inner City
2
Dublin North East Inner City Draft Action Plan 1998, Dublin, 1998
3
The heavy concentration by the media on drug related problems has helped to further define
neighbourhoods as no-go or dangerous areas and as such is often seen as a "problem zone".

5
and view facilities, they are unable to either purchase the range of commodities or to
exert economic leverage on the commercial developers.

At the same time, the area is subject to enormous economic pressure. The area has
seen the development of private apartments, which accommodate professionals
working in the central business district and the dockhand development area. The
growth of commercial development in Docklands steadily pushes northwards from
The Liffey, encroaching on localities serviced by CASPr. Although this can be seen
as a healthy development (bringing the locality up) those who remain at a
disadvantage feel disenfranchised. They can see the development but cannot take part
in reaping the benefits of economic change. As such they appear to be "left behind" or
"forgotten". Despite the introduction of new medium density housing, which aims to
retain existing residents within their area, residents could be forgiven for feeling
under threat4.

The Draft Action Plan asserts that renovation and renewal can succeed in changing
the nature of the area but that there is urgent necessity to address the persistent social
problems of the area. Without this, changes are likely to be cosmetic and ultimately
without substance. In this social and economic arena, the CASPr project can be
regarded as an exciting and timely innovation. From the point of view of social
planning the CASPr project can be seen to fulfil a revitalising function for the existing
population as follows:

• it aims to provide a consolidation of children education in the area

through a systematic approach to homework and school development
• it aims to tackle the problems inherent in the home-school
relationship. Children have space to do their homework in an
environment free from the pressures of home
• the opportunity is provided for residents to break out of the cycles of
poverty and disadvantage through education and self development
• it aims to bring the population "up to speed" by providing education
and qualifications for ordinary local people, thus improving labour
market opportunities (access to employment in the local and national
economy)
• through its activities in providing local employment, there is a
financial input into the local economy. Money flows into the area.
• through CASPr project activities, there is a direct contribution to the
aims of the Corporation Draft Action Plan5.

The CASPr Project sees itself as providing a vital integrating dynamic for local
people. The project itself forms an essential part of the local community fabric. In
addition to the points above, the CASPr project is obliged to perform child protection
duties, which are an inherent part of all activities with children. To the aims above can
therefore be added "the enhancement of the well-being of children of the target
localities".

4
In US experience in the 1970s U it was often remarked that "urban renewal means black removal". As
inner city land became more attractive and valuable, existing populations were "decanted" elsewhere.
5
NEIC Draft Action Plan, Section 4.2 Education and Training - ensuring employment of local people,
community based training, particularly child care facilities

6
1.2 The evaluation approach and framework
A central aim of the research is to establish, not only the overall shape and
functioning of the organisation, but also to determine what kind of "animal" the
project has become. That is, what is the CASPr role in terms of a clear definition of its
place within the framework of community services? Is it education, training or
development? Is it social work, childcare or child protection? Is it a community
development project or an area-based response to social and economic change? Or is
it a combination of all these things? The answer to these questions should permit us to
more closely define the precise nature of the organisation and by extension allow us to
determine which funding agency should provide the CASPr core funding. In the
course of this part of the examination the research aims to clarify the central
organising principle of the project. This examination therefore offers an opportunity
to look at the way in which the project is organised and enables us to suggest changes
at the policy and at operational level

The undertaking of the evaluation of the CASPr project required a multi dimensional
approach to the various activities and "clients6" of CASPr. The approach itself is
qualitative, since the throughput of the project is generally stable and operates within
well-defined quantitative parameters. The evaluation includes the following activities

• review of project documentation

• semi-structured interviews with key function personnel
• semi structured interviews with management board members
• semi structured interviews with FAS supervisors and trainees
• site visits
• (participant) observation with children
• observation at staff feedback meetings and informal discussion
• observation at other meetings such as the AGM and informal discussion
• informal observation on a periodic basis

Interviews were recorded and subjected to a key issue analysis. Participant

observation with children took place during site visits and consisted of assisting with
homework and play. This extended to visits during leisure/sports visits for swimming
and football. The research aimed to have some presence during peripheral" activities:
Research includes at least one instance of meeting with the children from school and
when parents were picking up children in the evening.

1.3 Constraints and opportunities

Limitations on research activities are predominately connected with time constraints.
That is, a full participant observation approach necessitates considerable research time
over a designated period. Here, the intention was to achieve a general "fix" on adult-
child relationships, assess the attitudes of parents and children and to examine the
kind of work undertaken by the two key client groups and to locate the role that the
premises play in facilitating education and leisure sessions.

6
It is convenient to refer to clients in this instance although the project would refer to participants. This
nomenclature is used mainly to determinate between the various types of participants and varying work
responsibilities of adults.

7
The research period spanned a period when the children were on holiday. This
provided opportunities for interviews and discussion in considerable depth and
offered a chance to take part in some of the life of the project. For example, the
consultant was present during the visit of the community liaison officer from Dublin
Corporation for example. This period revealed both the strengths and weaknesses of
the project as well as the considerable pressure under which the organisation operates
during the period immediately prior to the commencement of the school year. The
consultant was during this period able to observe the relationship, which the project
has developed with other organisations in the localities. The time available did not
permit a sequential approach to site visits and observation was necessarily limited.
Overall however, the consultant feels that the CASPr project managed to convey the
full flavour, if not the essence, of its role in this area of the city.

Outcome measurement, whilst necessary, is difficult to establish in this kind of

project. There are affects, which cannot be subject to quantitative measurement until
several years into the future. The affect on children's education attainment can be
examined by following the age cohort through to later events such as secondary
school examinations, school leaving and movement into employment and higher
education. The affect on adults is more easily established by looking at movement
into jobs, yet the measurement of important affects on personal development and the
quality of life for adults is elusive. An adult peer-education affect is also said to take
place but is notoriously difficult to establish. Furthermore, the project is one of
number of projects in the locality and its remit cannot extend beyond its current
capacity for a certain number of children. It is likely therefore that any key affects
would become "lost" in any study of area impact that concentrates on a single
organisation. The research therefore concentrates on current phenomena whilst
detailing any available quantitative outcomes.

Finally, where researchers are present in children's sessions, children can behave in a
different manner, seeking to protect their adult supervisors from what they see as "an
inspection". One of the purposes of joining the children in swimming and sports is to
confront that point of view. The consultant found the children most helpful and
courteous and after consultation with adult supervisors, concluded that the children
were behaving much as they would during any "normal" session.

1.4 Outcomes
The evaluation aims for several inter-related outcomes. In the case of a successful
project, research should aim to consolidate existing experience and shape future work.
This report will therefore focus on the lived experience of project work, attempting to
establish any gaps in provision, which remain within the scope of CASPr. Given the
complex relationships between project functions, the consultant will attempt to
display, through diagrams and charts, the dynamics of the project

The following are expected outcomes of the evaluation:

• to establish the manner which the project works
• to establish the consumer satisfaction of the project's clients, in terms of access,
choice voice and accountability
• to establish the most effective way of financing the project
• to offer options for operational, managerial and policy development

8
SECTION 2: CASPr history and development

2.0 Introduction
The history and development of the CASPr Project has deep organic roots in the
community life of the localities that it now serves. In particular, local concerns with
child development and schooling gave rise to a FAS funded youth Club. In 1970, the
Matt Talbot Youth Club started to provide children with the opportunity to go on
residential weekends and carry out various activities. With this valuable experience,
activists in the locality acknowledged that regular and structured provision was
necessary for the school age population of the area. In particular, it was felt that the
primary school age group lacked resources and training development. Following
consultation with schools, parents and professional workers in the locality, an after-
school project was launched on a voluntary basis in 1995. Consultation was
paramount in the project's successful. The following representatives formed a
committee composed of local residents and agencies and included the following

• Residents (parents, those interested in the development of provision)

• teachers in local schools
• Eastern Health Board
• Society of St Vincent de Paul
• FAS
• Welfare Officer ((local welfare officer from the then Dept of Social Welfare)
• Belvedere Youth Club
• Matt Talbot Youth Club
• Juvenile Liaison Officer

The legal status of the organisation was as a Local Community Development

Organisation and the project became a Company Limited by Guarantee in October
1996. Original premises were located in Buckingham Street7 from where the project
co-ordinated an after-school project for Rutland Street School. The project began by
targeting three groups - children, parents and the children of parents working on the
project. Thus this original project offered places to 40 children from the first primary
class and to those children over 4 years whose parents were carrying out supervision
activities in the project. It was felt that if parents were involved in personal provision
for their own children, an extension of that provision to the generality of children of
the locality would provide a logical developmental focus. It was anticipated that this
would have an affect at the community level. So from the inception of the project,
prime (linked) targets were constituted by:

• the family
• the community

Additionally, it was intended that the strategy would achieve the following outcomes:

• raised local expectations of "what is possible".

7
Buckingham Street lies just to the east of Amiens Street opposite Connolly Station. This area offers a
well-developed network of community premises. The original premises belonged to a prisoner’s rights
organisation.

9
• raised attainment levels
• forging of attainable career paths for local residents
• demonstration of local recruitment potential to the private business sector
• demonstration of neighbourhood as a viable economic entity
• provision of a model for investment
• the reduction of level of social exclusion

The project embarked with an ambitious strategy that cut against the rubric of
traditional community provision. It assumed that local people had the capacity to be
trained and retained as quality service providers. This approach recognised that
participants might be weak in certain areas - literacy and numerical for example. Yet
training and certification lay at the cornerstone of an approach which it was felt would
result in the mainstreaming of the project. Through training, support and experience,
parent-providers of children homework services would offer a closely-knit, organic
service that could begin to redress the inequalities inherent in area of disadvantage. In
this way the community would be empowered. Expectations would begin to rise and
in this way the confidence of the area would intensify.

From inception, the project took care to establish the goodness of fit with the area. In
conjunction with ICON, CASPr undertook a detailed exploration of the area that it
intended to service. It achieved its first CE scheme in 1995 under considerable
deadline pressure, catering for a single class with a statutory/voluntary funding mix.
Without this mix, the project could not have survived. The voluntary contribution for
St Vincent de Paul and a substantial input from local benefactors placed the
organisation in a position to be able to achieve EU funding and to double its CE
scheme capacity by 1997. It is important to recognise that CASPr acknowledged the
necessity for continuity of the CE scheme and wished to avoid the problem of one-
year restrictions for participants. Continuity was possible due to the age group of
participants (over 35). Thus it was possible to phase CE and certification courses
together over a two to three year period8.

The securing of EU support for the project gave CASPr the formal recognition that it
needed to consolidate its operations and although one after-school project was without
a site for one year, this problem has recently been resolved though the acquisition of
its Ballybough premises. It is to the credit to the stamina of the operations staff that
the third and final after-school project was conceived and operationalised without a
permanent site. This called for a level of adaptation and experimentation that appears
to have contributed to the dynamism of the project.

Current plans include the introduction of a crèche9 to be provided in partnership with

other local organisations and funded by Dublin Corporation. This will not only cater
for the pressing demands of the neighbourhood, but also provides a career space for
CASPr care "graduates".

The following chart displays the CASPr project's development to the present.

8
In certain circumstances, CE scheme participation can be extended to 5 years.
9
The crèche does not form part of this evaluation since it is a very recent introduction.

10
Diagram 1: Schematic of CASPr development

Original community infrastructure

MT Youth Club Belv. Youth Club

Feedback from local community CASPr Project (voluntary)

CASPr Project starts with

Continuous FEEDBACK admin and 1 after school
teachers/parents project (CE scheme)
welfare officer 40 children/17 adults
EHB/SVDP/FAS
juvenile liaison officer
FAS/Local funding CASPr expands
after-schools projects
100 children/34 adults
in 2 projects/sites

EU funding
secured
CASPr expands
after-school projects
150 children/53 adults
in 3 projects (2 sites)
steering committee
EHB
Home School liaison teachers
Society of SVDP CASPr secures third after school
An Garda Siochana site
Staff (2 reps)
Comhairle le leas Oige

Consolidation & Evaluation

End of EU funding
Forward Planning
Added SCFA and Drugs
Organisational and Financial
Task Force funding
Restructuring

Creche in partnership with

lcoal bodies

11
2.2 Operational practice
So how does the CASPr project work in practice? The operation is divided into three
fundamental areas:

• The provision of supervised after schools projects on specific locations serving

specific schools. In each of the three sites, approximately 50 children are assisted
by 15 workers who are managed by two qualified supervisors
• the provision of training and development for all adults involved in the
supervision of children. Courses are mandatory and NCVA certificated. Literacy,
numeracy and one to one support functions are available as required.
• The provision of a central co-ordination function that includes management,
Community Liaison Officer, administration, tutor-manager and transport officer.

After school projects function in the following manner:

From Monday to Friday, children are met at the end of their school day. They are
accompanied by the adult participants and walk through the neighbourhood to their
site. There they are involved in structured homework sessions supervised by adults.
This is performed in a relaxed manner, although care is taken to ensure that the
homework commitments set by the school are fully satisfied. Children are then
involved in developmental play in which they have a choice. This can include
painting, drawing, cooking and games (such as board games). Children are
encouraged to play both on their own and together with other children. Children are
encouraged to take ownership of the building by being involved in decoration and
displays within the respective sites. On certain afternoons, children can take part in
swimming, during which they are supervised in the pool (by adult participants), or
play football or badminton. Community facilities are utilised for sports activities
giving the children the necessary space for physical recreation. There are
opportunities to be involved in gardening using Dublin Corporation allotments to the
North of Dublin and additionally, outside the normal CASPr hours of 3 pm to 6pm,
children may also be involved in supervised outings and vacations for which transport
is available. Children choice is exercised in selection of the latter activities.

It is important to note that adults are responsible for children safety and child
protection. Child protection will be considered in a separate section. But the
performance of these duties emphasise the need for careful training and supervised
experience. Since adult commitment is located in the latter part of the working day,
training and other developmental tasks are undertaken in the morning and
supplemental training also takes place off-locality. Regular site meetings are held to
discuss planned activities, student performance, and outstanding problems. Team
supervisors are also required to make reports to FAS and to CASPr management.
Supervisors meetings are held weekly. Adults also meet on a weekly basis to update
information from other sites, to discuss matters of common concern, to update on
locality developments and to share experiences.

Integral to the CASPr approach is a disciplined attitude to adult education. This

provides the developmental locus for:

12
• career training: training in child care
• remedial work: literacy and numeracy
• retrenchment: securing of qualifications not otherwise achieved
• child protection: conformity with legislation regarding rights of the child
• self development: raising of confidence and awareness

CASPr considers these educational initiatives integral to the project and to the
neighbourhood. They are essential for the operational thrust of the project (homework
and child development), for the safety and well-being of children in the care of
CASPr, and for the personal and career development of local residents who
participate. The necessity for childcare education is clear. The securing of
qualifications has allowed participants to take advantage of career opportunities,
moving full time jobs, not only in the childcare sector but also in finance and banking.
It is, however, the CASPr project's bipartite emphasis on communication skills/self
development and the experiential learning that takes place in project work that is at
the core of successful work. So it is in the realm of the practical that the lessons of
CASPr education are articulated and internalised10. There is a clear demonstration that
adult participants on CASPr sites are integrating into practice the theory and self
development modules undertaken in training sessions. Observation reveals:

• good supervision of children - no-one is left out

• good awareness of children learning difficulties
• good (and knowledgeable ) awareness of emotional difficulties
• no adverse pressure is exerted on children
• activities are well balanced - children are free to play and to learn on completion
of core activities
• children are safe/feel safe
• children want to attend/want more
• acknowledgement of their own (adult) limitations with the resolve to address
difficulties

Additionally, children's attitude to visitors is expressed through genuine interest and

courtesy. The children are well behaved, always allowing for a necessary youthful
exuberance that can be expected amongst all children of this age. Most importantly,
the children like their supervisors and want to attend the sessions. Outside the arena of
the after-school site, adults and children are a familiar site on the street where many
residents greet them with warmth and affection. By logical extension, it appears that
the adult participants of CASPr are regarded as good role models for the locality. This
latter point is confirmed by the waiting list for adult places in CASPr.

The self-developmental approach in adult education is vital in maintaining positive

relationships with child participants in CASPr. It is an interesting operation because
of the transformation inherent in this kind of work. Counselling theories would point
to the richness of adult participants' own lives and understandings and stress that this
remains the key to personal transition11. CASPr adopts a positive, careful approach to
this area. The outcome is that participants can better deal with anxieties about being

10
It has to be acknowledged that this system places pressure on participants. Support is therefore
critical.
11
Johns Hazel, Personal Development in Counsellor Training

13
good enough, exercises and exams, changes in their own relationship to the world,
prejudices and so on. CASPr emphasis on trust in a "safe enough" environment
promotes adult learning and change. In turn, these outcomes are transferred to
children in the project and at home. Participants interviewed in the course of the
evaluation stressed that "communication" had proved a most important aspect of the
CASPr experience. At the same time, the pressure which personal transformation
exerts on can sometimes weigh heavily. The necessity for the full time presence of a
member of staff with counselling experience12 cannot therefore be overemphasised

3.3 Throughput and outcomes

We are examining two evaluation indices. The first is throughput, by which we
understand the number of individuals passing through the organisation in any given
period. The second is outcome measurement by which we try to measure the affect of
the organisation on individuals. The following table outlines throughput and
outcomes. [to be completed]

Table 1: CASPr throughput and outcome figures

Measure Throughput (Nos.) Outcomes

per year (current)
• No. of children on roll
• No. of children in
Children homework sessions
• No. of sessions
• No. of children on outings
• No. of adult trainees
• No. of sessions with
Adults children
• Number of training
sessions
• No. those taking training
courses undertaken off-
area
Support (adults) • No. undertaking one-to-
one sessions
• No. undertaking
counselling sessions
• No. on workshops,
meetings, conferences
seminars, courses
Voluntary • No of hours worked on
assistance behalf of project by
mobilised category: treasurer; chair
• no of community
benefactors
• Assessment measures to be
developed
• No. child problems identified
• No. child protection cases
identified
• No. certificated (by course)
• No. moving to full time
employment
• No. moving to an education
course
• No. moving to community
activism or volunteer work
• No. with enhanced numeracy
and literacy skills
• No. satisfactory problem
resolutions
• No. new qualifications or
certification achieved.
• estimate of effects
• No. of supplied functions
which would otherwise have
resource costs: time-cost
equivalent
• Resources, donations
received from community

In addition to the figures above, the project may like to consider estimating the benefit
to the community using the following indicators:

12
The Marti Meo method favoured by the project and adopted by the Health Board can provide a solid
base for getting the best from project work and it is recommended that this approach be fully adopted.

14
social indicators based on locality figures
• increase success rate at school - exams/assessments for cohort
• reduction in juvenile crime
• reduction in unemployment
• physical health improvement
• mental health improvement
• reduction in children care orders
• reduction in harmful drug use

Peer education effect:

• assessment can be made by encouraging participants to keep a log of contacts and
discussions for a set period

Network effect
• no. of contacts made at community network level
• assessed positive impact on network

Cost benefit effect

• the cost to the locality/community/government should the project not exist

Planning and programming

In order to fully assess movement over time, the project may wish to consider the use
of a program planning approach to activities. This could be utilised in conjunction
with the activity breakdown elaborated in diagram no ? Using this model entails
determining for each objective:

1. the legislation which determines the shape and boundaries of the activity
2. the description of the activity
3. the perceived need for the activity
4. the exact resources currently devoted to the activity: physical (buildings,
materials); staff ( full-time equivalent) and financial (percentage of budget for
activity)
5. the indicators which determine the success of the activity
6. any gaps in provision that the activity should be addressing
7. any plans for development of the activity
8. any constraints for development
9. any opportunities for development

This is listed on a single page pro forma in a form that may be periodically updated. A
means of comparative examination for use on an annual basis is created. This is
particularly useful as a means of budgeting, which is more "user friendly" than
traditional accounting. That is, it links resources to objectives in a manner which
accounting budget heads cannot.

An example is provided as Appendix "D".

15
SECTION 3: A consumer model for CASPr

3.0 Introduction
The following model offers an opportunity to look at the project from an additional
perspective. This takes the position of the client or participant, placing her/him as a
consumer who is purchasing services from a provider. The model is essentially one
where democratic principles are central. The model sees the residents of the
neighbourhood, locality or area representing the range of possible consumers. In the
case of the CASPr Project, there are two key groups - adults (participants and parents)
and children. As we have seen from the figures in the previous chapter, most adult
participants are female. The model will, for example, have to acknowledge any
barriers preventing take-up of places or whether there is an exclusion mechanism
operating at the societal level.

We therefore have three groups of consumers as follows

• Adult participants (trainees)

• Parents of children in the after-school projects
• Children in the after school projects

Naturally there are restrictive features in any project where children and their care are
central to the way in which the project works. Statutory regulations seek to address
the safety, security and well being of children. For the children themselves, choice is
necessarily restricted - school attendance, child labour legislation and so on are in
place to develop and protect the child. In this case, however, they do have some level
of choice and the following chapter will seek to establish the exact nature of choice
and whether children's rights can offer any developments this area.

3.1 Access and the CASPr project

"making services more readily accessible to consumers by bringing them

closer through decentralisation of delivery to small scale locally based
units by changing the style in which the services at are provided at the
point of delivery and by ensuring that the services are fully integrated"

For adults employed on the project, the CASPr project offers several opportunities
that are attractive to residents of the area. Clearly the first is that of paid employment.
It is recognised that for many citizens living in areas of social exclusion, FAS and CE
schemes have to a considerable extent, become a substitute for "real" work. Whilst the
activities themselves have been of a social value and the experience and income an
inherently valuable resource, the permanent outcomes in terms of labour market
participation are low. The expected outcome of participation in a CE scheme is often
that of participation in the next available scheme. CASPr seeks to avoid this through
additional training, personal development and encouragement. It has sought to retain
stability throughout a longer period of time than a single CE scheme. In effect,
participants are building on previous years.

16
The stability comes at the cost of a concentration of resources on those participants
who are selected. Research, however, indicated that this was acceptable to the
locality. The awareness of the project not only shows that the project has a goodness
of fit with the locality in which it operates, but that all those who feel able can apply
and will be taken seriously. The philosophy of the project assumes that all residents
have the capacity to carry out tasks. But interviews are crucial to ensure the suitability
of individuals for the critical role of childcare. This results in a queue for places and is
a sign of success for the project - but does it exclude participation in any way?
Research established that some of those who were unable to secure a place were
contacted in the following year. It therefore appears that the process, whilst
comparatively rigorous, adopts a non-exclusive approach.

The main excluding mechanism for the low-income family is that of childcare. Lone
parents in particular are affected by lack of childcare provision. It is here that the
CASPr project maximises participation. It is possible for the mother with a school age
child in the target group, to have that child in the homework club. Observation
suggests that this system is effective. On the other hand, mothers with smaller
children require childcare provision, in order to gain maximum benefit from
education, training and work experience. CASPr through the development of crèche
provision will shortly plug this gap in service. Here, the CASPr project has proved
proactive in maximising access for the lone parent client group by employing a
logical extension of the service.

Participants are mainly women, so we need to ask whether men are excluded. There
are many factors that CASPr cannot tackle at local level. Men continue to be likely to
exclude themselves from participation in the caring professions generally and
childcare in particular13. In the CASPr experience, this situation amplifies since males
are unlikely to enter a predominantly female project. The CASPr project has made
some efforts to involve men and there are two males currently employed. The
managerial profile of the project is all female and the project might consider whether
new appointments (within the limitations of equal opportunity legislation and rights)
might render the project more open to male participation. At the same time, male
appointments might upset the equilibrium of a system that functions effectively. That
is, are the women in the locality more comfortable with a predominantly female
management structure? The CASPr project needs to determine a balance that
maximises access without the imposition of bureaucratic formality.

Since the project targets one class and follows it through as children progress through
the school years, all parents have open access to the service. Observation suggests
that the parents are extremely satisfied with the service. During pick up periods, they
have the opportunity to chat out progress or any matters concerning the child. They
are also free to approach the project with any worries that may arise. Because the
project is organic to the neighbourhood, the project offers considerable advantages for
the parents in that their peers carry out the supervision. Parents do not exhibit the
same fears as might arise with professional schoolteachers. Neither do problems of
status do arise. Because of this, the project offers a conduit to resolve school problems
that might otherwise arise at school. The more supervision-intensive environment

13
The Project also has to ask whether the neighbourhood's male applicants have the appropriate
sensibilities to be fully effective in a child-orientated project.

17
provides a space to tackle problems that may go unnoticed at school and conversely,
schools may take the opportunity to express concerns, which can then be monitored
during the after-school project. The presence of the CASPr project can therefore be
regarded as providing improved access to children's education at the general level.

Figure 2: Improved education access for parents and children

A ccess constrained
by num bers, organisation
size, perceived status
S ch o ol Hom e

M ediation of
hom e school
relationship
Pe e r co n ta ct
Sch o o l lin ks and
im p ro ve ch ild o rg a nic acce ss
e du ca tio n
C AS Pr

In a similar manner to that described above, children have open access to the CASPr
Project. Clearly this is a matter in which decisions are either taken by the parent or by
the child in conjunction with the parent. There is no obligation or pressure to use the
after-school project. When children are in the care of the project however, the
constraining factor is the evening pick up. However the locality is sufficiently
compact as to minimise this problem.

The location of the project must be taken into account. That is, the position, look and
style of the CASPr premises may improve or restrict access at all levels. For adult
participants in training, all premises are within walking distance and are accessible. If
adults wish to access the kind of training undertaken by CASPr, they would be forced
to travel outside the area. Whilst the effective distance of similar (training) projects
may be regarded as "nearby", it must be borne in mind that there are social and
psychological factors which limit the adults’ ability to travel. Firstly, the participating
parents are moved some distance from the child and the child's school. Secondly, the
confidence level of local residents often restricts their ability to travel out of area. The
near location of the project plays a crucial part in ensuring accessibility for local
residents. Naturally, for children, the location of the after school project must be close
to the school. All project buildings are within close walking distance.

18
The look, design and style of buildings play a large part in determining access.
Administration and training facilities are now located in two premises in close
proximity. The administration building is a self-contained terraced house in a mixed
residential and commercial area and provides easy access for all residents. This
building has been recently renovated and provides good administration space.
Additionally, the informal atmosphere offers a non-threatening environment for a
local resident seeking services. The building looks a little anonymous however and so
improved signage could contribute to accessibility and organisational profile. The
training building, located on a busy street close to Connolly Station is shared with a
variety of community groups. This has advantages and disadvantages. The building is
less secure than the administration office despite the presence of other organisations.
The members of the tenant local organisations that tenant the building are friendly and
supportive and there is little evidence of "resource-sharing conflicts" from which
many such premises suffer. The training area is large and well lit and there is now
adequate space for one-to-one support encounters. The canteen area of the CASPr
training space offers opportunities for conducting meetings in a relaxed environment
and the therapeutic benefits of "tea and talk" are visible. Although there are no
physically disabled residents currently working within the CASPr project, the flights
of stairs would present a formidable obstacle to participation by this group. Again,
this building could benefit from improved signage.

The three after-school project buildings differ greatly from one another. The new
Ballybough building is a converted terraced house and although it can seem a little
cramped, the children make good use of the circulation space. Although the building
must adopt safety regulation exits and signage, it continues to have a domestic feel in
which the children obviously feel safe. The kitchen area is well designed and
comparatively extensive and the children exhibit enormous pleasure in using
supervised cooking facilities. This project has only recently secured these premises
and participants have been quick to claim this as their own space. This has helped to
create an extremely pleasant atmosphere. The Sean McDermott Street premises have
been recently acquired from St Vincent de Paul and are located to the rear of the
SVDP Furniture Bank. Again this building provides good circulation areas and a
number of different rooms for activities. There is enough space for a
quiet/administrative room. Finally Mountjoy Square premises is a Dublin
Corporation-owned building that is shared with other organisations. The advantage of
this building is its pleasant location in a park Square. This building has several
disadvantages however. The overall look of building is unpleasant, mainly due to
heavy security doors and window grilles. Inside there is a large common area and an
enclosed "mess area" with cooking facilities. Whilst the open-plan design offers space
for physical activities, there is no space for children to circulate around - no nooks,
crannies or corners - and a minimum of private space. From the consultant's point of
view the children appear (visually) a little "lost" This project has also suffered from
problems associated with sharing with other community groups. The presence of a
local band comprised of older youth has raised questions of untidiness and smoking
habits. The Corporation as "landlord" is responsible and must attempt to satisfy all
calls upon resources in an equitable manner. Yet whilst the Corporation's Community
Liaison Officer is currently addressing the issue it seems inevitable that problems of
incompatibility will continue.

19
Table 2 Summary of CASPr building accessibility

Site Type Accessibility factors

and issues

Buckingham Street Victorian Terrace Administration Centre

(shared) • Close to station and bus routes
• Pleasant informal atmosphere
• Good meeting space
• Own entrance
• Fabric of building poor in some
areas
• average disability access
• poor signage
Amiens Street Georgian Tenement Training building
shared • Close to station and bus routes
(exclusive use of top two • Good kitchen/mess room
floors) • Excellent training space
• Good office space
• Heavy traffic noise at front
• Shared entrance insecure
• Fabric of building poor and some
maintenance problems
• poor disability access
• poor signage
Sean MacD Part of office-commercial After-school project
building (SVDP) • Close to designated school/s
• Good circulation space
• Some office space
• Cramped kitchen area
• Warm atmosphere
• Poor disability access
• Confusing signage (SVDP)
Ballybough Terraced House (all) After-school project
• Close to designated school/s
• Pleasant domestic atmosphere
• Good circulation space
• Good kitchen area
• poor disability access
Mountjoy Victorian circular building After-school project
in park square • Close to designated schools
• Security shutters unpleasant
• Open plan could be intimidating
• Cramped kitchen area
• Good mess area
• Warm atmosphere
• Good disability access
ALL 2 admin premises • All within walking distance of local
3 project premises schools housing
• Good transport links.
• Accessible to each other.

20
3.3 Choice and the CASPr Project

Improving the consumers situation by allowing them to exercise options,

both within the service received and between alternate providers; and
facilitating competition where appropriate, to produce a wider range of
options

In this case it is necessary to take into account the provision at the area or locality
level. Is CASPr providing an additional level of choice for its consumers which
contributes to the overall regeneration of the area overall improvements for residents?
At the general level, it is found that CASPr is providing a service that is different
from other services and to this extent adds another layer of choice for residents.
Choice within the project should be considered separately.

For adults in the project who are employed under the CE scheme, CASPr offers a
choice of education options that in some respects resembles a third level (higher
education) structure. Adults are obliged to undertake core education courses in
childcare and development and in communication skills. Interestingly, this part of the
course does not compromise on curriculum whose demands comparatively high.
Outside this core, there is sufficient variation to allow the exercise of participant
choice and to maintain a response to individual needs. It is interesting to note that
CASPr has been able to make sophisticated education demands on their participants,
whilst accepting and engaging with basic education needs such as literacy and
numeracy. This is probably the most innovative part of CASPr project work. It is here
that choice is exercised in selection of courses. It is accepted that at the current time,
few other projects offer similar integrated work-education options.

Those who are in difficulty do receive individual or one-to-one sessions and can ask
for these at any time. Additionally, given the demands of the courses and project
work, it is essential that there be some kind of pastoral care. This is provided through
the availability of a Community Liaison Officer/adviser, a service that is currently
provided by full time secondment from the Eastern Health Board. The experience of
the current member of staff has proved extremely useful to the project. The demands
of the job, education and self-development can prove "unsettling" for participants who
find that their attitude to life and to change is undergoing transformation. Most
participants are also coping with the demands of being a parent in a disadvantaged
urban location, which is subject to considerable social and economic shift. So
pressures that arise must be contained and integrated. No participant is obliged,
unsupported, to perform work, education or training tasks and this should be
recognised as a reinforcement of choice. It is common for ambitious projects to place
unworkable demands on participants, which on the surface, appear to offer choice.
CASPr therefore seeks to ensure that choices, once made, are sustainable.

In common with statement above concerning access, children and parents have
limited options outside the project. CASPr targets particular classes in particular
schools. But what choice lies within the project. The school limits the homework
aspect of the project. The class teacher allocates homework according to the demands
of a set curriculum and particular methods favoured by particular schools. But outside
set homework, the involvement of child development aspects of project work is

21
subject to choice by children. This includes art, games, outings, and vacations. Here,
the choice exercised by children can impact upon the choice of adult supervisors,
since children often favour repetition of successful outings at the expense of over-
familiarity for the adult! Aspects of choice that "negatively" impact on the project
appear to be conditioned by the growing maturity of the child. As the child "cohort"
becomes older, children begin to develop mature interests that would more suitably be
catered for by a youth club environment. This is a matter, which is currently under
review such that the CASPr project can continue to cater for the same children rather
than "lose" the benefits that have accrued to that group. This prevents the child
"growing away" from hard-earned disciplines and joining street life14. The project
intends to develop a "youth club" that will cater for the continuing needs of
participating children.

3.4 Voice and the CASPr project

Voice gives consumers the opportunity to express their views on the

service they are receiving and where they are dissatisfied, provides a
response, which meets their legitimate grievances. (This links to
"accountability": see below.)

This is a most important area, which, due to recent democratic advances and to the
introduction of human rights legislation, is a key issue in contemporary community
sector organisation. A new emphasis on children somewhat plugs the gaps in the
fabric of human rights and has given rise to both innovation and subsequent
controversy. This report takes seriously the issue of children's rights and aims to play
close attention to project involvement by children of whatever age. At project level it
is the involvement of adult participants, which receives the most attention.

Adult participants in the CASPr project have an extensive range of opportunities both
to be involved in the day to day running of the organisation and to have a say
concerning the organisation. Weekly-feed back sessions offer the adult participant
chances to say anything concerning the organisation. Supervisor meetings add another
layer to the expression of "voice". Research indicated some reluctance however, to
fully express opinions and it appeared that (limited) conflict was only now beginning
to emerge. It appears that this is a function of the growing size and complexity of the
project. Ironically, it flows directly from project success. The organisation is required
to address the issue of management-worker relationships without jettisoning the
relaxed and informal approach of the organisation that has contributed to its
achievements.

The consultant feels that the growing strength and confidence of participants and
indeed the residents of the localities involved requires direction and that this may in
turn necessitate modifications in managerial approach.

14
I am not suggesting that street life is essentially wrong. "Hanging around" with peer group members
is an essential part of growing up. If no hanging around takes place, the positive peer group effects
stemming from CASPr work would not take place. The point is to make this a positive experience for
the child, minimising the potential for juvenile crime.

22
To date, the main policy making bodies of CASPr has been composed of:

• representatives of voluntary bodies with an interest in the aims and objectives of

the organisation
• representatives of partnership organisations with planning and co-ordination
responsibilities for the localities involved
• officers of local statutory bodies with a direct interest in the activities and
outcomes of the project
• CASPr co-ordinator

The level of voluntarist support has been acknowledged elsewhere in this report and
this links to a good accountability structure as well as contributing to the articulation
of the voice of the locality (opinion leaders). The social gathering following the
CASPr AGM included many examples of this support and involvement. So at this
level the voice of the community appears strong and healthy. The process of
developing maintaining solidaristic links with key neighbourhood figures should be
continued. As far as participant involvement is concerned the organisation needs to
integrate conflicting voices in the management and co-ordination of the project such
that they are both contained and provide a useful counterpoint to orthodox or taken for
granted views. This is an essential part of any organisation's development, without
which it can become stale, carrying out a repertoire of existing activities.

CE supervisors appeared to be very confident as far as their own projects (site) was
concerned but there were limiting factors in organisational understanding as follows.

• a tendency to diminish the importance of central co-ordination.

• a failure to acknowledge the role of the administrative centre
• a lack of awareness of the necessity of some aspects of organisational training

There appear to be self-imposed limitations on the willingness to express other than

consensual views and this may be the result of not wishing "to upset the apple cart".
The consultant feels that this could be the result of a lack of integration at the policy
level. At present, CASPr project is beginning to examine the way in which
participants and participant supervisors can be included in management decision-
making. It is recommended that this process should be intensified and options for
development will be investigated in a later section.

3.4 Accountability and the CASPr Project

Accountability provides the means by which those who deliver services

are made responsible for the "stewardship", both through improvements
in information (greater transparency in the operation of services) and by
making existing democratic machinery more accessible.

At the policy level, it is necessary to make clear the agencies and, organisations to
which the CASPr project is formally accountable.

• Funding agencies: CASPr is accountable to those organisations providing

funding or resourcing on regular or occasional basis. E.g. SVDP, Dept of Social,

23
 Community and Family Affairs, EU Programmes in that CASPr contributes to the
development of innovation and good practice with the programme areas of
funding agencies.
• Government: CASPr is responsible for providing services that contribute to
existing or new policy areas (e.g. childcare). It is accountable also in the area of
child protection, which is presently a key area in policy development.
• Partnerships: CASPr is accountable to partnership bodies with deal with the
greater locality or area. It has responsibility to integrate into existing and new
plans for the regeneration of the area.

At the operational level, CASPr is accountable to

• Government bodies: CASPr is responsible for the stewardship of CE participants

with related responsibilities for training, certification, health and safety and
conformity with employment legislation
• the children or "students" in the provision of a service that will fundamentally
affect a range of opportunities, chances and decision possibilities in their lives.
• the parents of children in the homework club, in the provision of a service which
performs care duties for children with concomitant responsibilities such as health
and safety, teaching and education and child protection
• the residents of target localities in providing a service which will benefit the area
through improvements in well being and related areas such as reduction in
juvenile crime, vandalism, etc.
• Schools and teachers in that CASPr contributes to the satisfactory completion of
homework, thus affecting school time resources, scheduling etc.

In general, funding agencies enforce levels of accountability in level of service

provision, performance and management of funds. But local accountability in terms of
involvement, democracy and control over project direction is more difficult to
achieve. Where a locality is subject to social exclusion, residents often find it difficult
to become involved in a way in which project accountability can be directly improved
for all citizens. Community based organisations are committed to citizen involvement
but cannot persuade local people to take part. In these cases local activists, many of
whom are active in several bodies substitute for broader citizen involvement. CASPr
needs to examine the question of local involvement and experiment with ways in
which local people such as parents can be brought into the formal mechanisms of
project operations and policy.

The views of children are often neglected because of the inherent difficulties in
managing involvement. Yet organisations such as those representing children in care
have been successful in this area. The most basic criterion is that "children have the
right to be heard." It is clear that, within the CASPr project, children's views do
"percolate" upwards, transmitted through to CASPr management by adult
participants. However, the more active and direct involvement of children can be
achieved through play. Integrating data collection into developmental work at site
level may provide a means of eliciting views. Role playing and small group work
offers some children-accountability opportunities in this area. Or it can provide a
means of "checking out" methods, procedures and problems. It is recommended that
CASPr investigates means of improving the involvement of children such that the
level of children accountability is improved.

24
3.5 Monitoring
Although CASPr keeps formal records for FAS employees and also maintains
efficient records for adult education work, monitoring and tracking could be extended
to help the organisation determine performance. Current mechanisms relate primarily
to throughput. Outcome measurement tends to be related in terms of "cases" or
"critical incidents". The organisation should seek to retain the latter whilst developing
longitudinal information or indictors of progress and process. It is however recognised
that where adults are early school leavers, their administrative skills may initially be
weak. Additionally we have to be aware that introduction of record keeping and
assessment procedures is often disliked because the stronger emphasis is placed on
operational hands-on work. Record keeping is not regarded as practical work.
Weakness in literacy and numeracy can also restrict performance due to confidence
lack. And many of us are quite simply afraid of this kind of work and seek to avoid
the pain of form completion at any time! Yet this aspect of the work is important in
the adult learning process. This discipline needs to be inculcated at an early stage such
that employee work skills are maximised and children assessment procedures
formalised.

At this stage in the organisations' development, such procedures are of great benefit in

• determining the current position

• maintaining an overall indicator of organisational development
• examining any changes or development in individual cases
• providing accurate information for funding agencies
• providing information which can support the "good model" and "best practice"
extension of the project

It is therefore recommended that CASPr review all data and information

collection to maximise self-knowledge and overall awareness. It is recommended
that information and data work should be integrated into adult training. It is
recommended that there be an introduction of a children assessment scheme
designed and implemented by the CASPr project, utilising its aims and
objectives and reflecting its principles and ethos. An example is attached as
appendix "D".

3.6 Summary of Consumer aspects

The CASPr Project has a range of clients and objectives which although organic in
nature give rise to a diverse range of responsibilities. At the same time, the organic
and integral nature of the project lends it a very strong focus and it has resisted the
temptation to adopt projects and funding which are incompatible with its original
objectives and direction. So the client groups present a homogeneous whole. Contact
with the project emphasises the goodness of fit with the area it serves and so most
aspects of this consumer model are satisfied. The nature of the area concerned with its
endemic problems of poverty and urban decay presents an enormous challenge but
despite this, CASPr Project has ensured high satisfaction and functioning across the
client range.

25
From a voluntarist beginning CASPr has transformed into a project that provides high
professional standards in the community sector. There nonetheless remain a number
of outstanding problems, which although peripheral, could result in distorting
development. These can be summarised as follows:

• The visual profile of CASPr is understated relative to the high neighbourhood

awareness that it has constructed. This could be masking low penetration of
socially excluded groups and so requires attention.
• Disability access is poor. Although this does not currently appear to present any
difficulties, this could prevent physically disabled persons from self-selection.
That is, affected residents may not offer themselves up for participation. (They
select out)
• Gender distribution tends towards female dominance of the project at
management and CE scheme levels. CASPr needs to address the question of male
marginalisation and any aspects of gender bias" which might be hidden or
obscured.
• the children require further opportunities to make decisions affecting their lives.
This is a difficult area in which to mobilise. Often children will attempt to please
(and protect) adults by telling them what they think they want to hear. This is what
can be referred to as the "school inspector" affect. Yet if workers do involve
children in plans and assessment it contributes greatly to their self-esteem. A list
of possible activities through which to elicit the "voice of the child" is attached to
this report as appendix "x"
• The parents of those attending the after schools project sites (where they are not
the children of CE participants) do not play a significant party in the organisation.
This is an area in which it is often difficult to mobilise citizens. The CASPr
project should examine methods of upgrading the parental voice without
compromising the excellent relationships currently existing.
• The CASPr project needs to find organisational balance between central co-
ordination and project (site) operation through awareness-raising and worker
involvement.

Additionally, CASPr needs to intensify its efforts to monitor and track outcomes for
all client groups. The current policy of following the same school class (cohort)
allows for longitudinal assessment. The project requires to exactly document its
starting position such output could be measured against the significant input
contribution, thus charting organisational progress. It should be noted that the project
should be not merely regarded as the handmaiden of the schools but as a mechanism
that allows children and parents to play a more central part in their neighbourhood and
society and be enabled to fully grasp the opportunities (and rewards) available in the
Irish economy.

In order to illustrate the factors affecting CASPr, a summary matrix of consumer

aspects follows:

26
Table 3 CASPr Project Summary matrix

• Excellent local • staff style

access to all informal/relaxed
premises for • good participant • Access is higher than
participants, children sensibilities average for the sector
and parents • participant self • Organisation could
• Offices somewhat selection at high level usefully improve profile
anonymous. • high level of including signage
• Word of mouth and awareness of project • some drop-in potential
Access network knowledge in target localities which might improve
important for access • queue of applicants accountability/voice
• Children orientation indicates goodness of (below)
achieves broad fit with area • project needs to
integration of local • Project is integrative consider gender
residents and organic thus balance in project
• predominantly improving likelihood of • project might actively
female management access being made seek to avoid self
and staff • Males may self exclusion by males
• Limited disability exclude due to gender
access imbalance
• Choice currently at
• Limited choice in • Offers innovative maximum level
area project with few possible within
• Innovative project so "competitors" resources
current development • Organic/integrative • Project might examine
lacks breadth across project promotes links with other projects
Choice whole locality "within-project choice" to extend model
• CASPr Project adds • Recent approval and • Project might promote
qualitative choice in introduction of crèche extension of model
education improves locality throughout
development choice neighbourhood and
beyond
• Organisation can
mount a staged
• Participant • Organisation needs to introduction of
involvement is develop expression of participants to
excellent at children's voice managerial and policy-
operational level, • Participants require making committees.
Voice poor at policy level greater level of • Organisation needs to
• Voice of children is integration at policy avoid "setting up
necessarily limited levels participants to fail"
• Voice of parents is • Parent voice is heard through committee
organic. Formal at neighbourhood or work training
voice is "slight" personal contact level • Organisation could
develop organisation
role play for children
• Good accountability • Any "substitution" by
structure can be community activists
• Formal extended at the formal can be eliminated by
accountability above and informal levels staged entry of client
average and across breadth of groups in organisation
• Parent involvement client groups committees.
Account- constrained by • Accountability can be • Organisation needs to
ability attitudes/confidence increased through retain some
• Accountability to extending existing experienced
children mediated links with social and community activists
through adult educational bodies • Children's rights
participants • Accountability for organisations can
children can be advise on
improved accountability structure
for younger children

27
SECTION 4: CASPr and the finance question

4.0 Introduction
CASPr's has transformed a community-based measure into a project of significant
size, both in terms of its clients and its employees. Yet the problem of an appropriate
mix of funding continues to be one of difficulty shared by many community based
organisations. This section examines the question of appropriate funding. What is the
inmost effective method of funding for the organisation? What Government
Department should provide core funding and what rules and regulations will allow the
organisation to carry out its role effectively?

4.1 Funding difficulties

Where many different departments and associated agencies manage funding,
community organisations are faced with the task of searching for resources as
programmes are announced. Often timing will determine the range of grants available.
Mismatch between local programme operations and government grant profile can
produce several problems of which the following. This can result in a situation where
achieved funding:

is unsuitable: There is a mismatch between objectives or approach and funding.

The project tries to tailor the project to the funding. The funding drags the project
and distorts the aims and objectives, reducing clarity and transparency

places strain on the organisation: The organisation does not have the resources
to generate well thought out applications. The organisation spends time on
preparation rather than on its activities. The organisation may not have good
knowledge of the totality of funding possibilities.

is competitive: The organisation's expertise is in its operational activities. It may
not have the in-house capability to succeed in competition with other projects.
Those with the help of full time fund-raisers and good contacts may be selected.

forces organisational limitations, making for difficulties in project operation:
Funding is for one aspect of the work and precludes other funding sources.
Organisation is forced to compromise or take financial risks.

omits key aspects of the operation. The organisation is forced to engage in
traditional fund-raising at the voluntary level or rely on benefactors. This is
additional work that demands extra effort from workers who are already stretched
within the operation or are thinly spread at the community activist level.

produces cash flow problems: the funding is paid in segments, which do not
match the organisation's cash flow. Late payments force organisations to move
monies across accounts, which should otherwise be "escrowed" or "ring-fenced"
for particular activities.

One or all of the problems above affects most organisations in the sector. CASPr has
made an effective transition from voluntarist to professional organisation and its
attitude to the accounting question is very positive. It has succeeded in attracting
funds and has maintained its own fund raising profile. Yet although CASPr is
comparatively well funded and appears to have considerable financial solidity,
exogenous15 funding factors have affected the organisation. These are as follows:

15
Problems are from outside the organisation and outside its control

28
late payments: funding has not been paid "on time", forcing the use of accounting
measures to ensure necessary cash flow and effective operational performance. This
has been carried out with the utmost transparency and necessitated a great deal of
internal work. But this effort "saps" project energy and produces worker stress.
restrictive funding 1: FAS funding includes cash for wages but nothing for materials.
The project relies on the use of materials without which it is limited or is hampered in
its objective to maintain a high quality standard of child support. Ironically the
objective of the FAS funding is undermined.
restrictive funding 2: EU funding places restrictions on acquisition of previously
owned physical resources. The anti-corruption measures that gave rise to this rule are
very clear. Nevertheless, it has prevented the legitimate use of previously owned
resources and produces negative environmental impact.
organisational strain: the project has benefited from voluntary help in grant
applications and administration of funds. But this has necessitated out of hours
working. The project requires a worker with community accountancy skills.

4.2 Funders and Funding Structure

The current structure appears as follows:

Figure 3 CASPr Current funding profile (includes non-cash resources)

EHB
Dublin Corporation resources staff
resource

creche

Drugs Task Force

D.S. C.F. A. Co-ordination

Training Trips, outings

horticulture
St Vincent de Paul
After school Site
Vacations
After school Site

FAS After school Site

CASPr fund raising

(materials)
Benefactors

29
The key problems arise from limitations on the purchase of vital materials. Spending
on children's education materials can be split into two parts:

1. capital: equipment and toys

2. consumables: paper, crayons, art materials (paints, plaster etc.)

Naturally, there is wastage in both categories but consumables is the most affected
category. Obviously, crayons, pencils, paper etc., are quickly consumed. Additionally,
any onerous restrictions preventing children acquiring pens and pencils would be both
a self-defeating and an unwarranted intrusion. These resources are currently funded
through a grant from St Vincent de Paul, a nominal charge16 to parents for each
session and the CASPr project's voluntary fund raising in the community. The latter is
a traditional exercise in local fund raising. It is felt that given a flexible approach, a
small voluntary payment from parents is justified. Additionally, voluntary fund
raising gives CASPr the chance to maintain an area profile and its organic relationship
with local residents. Yet this profile is vulnerable and sole reliance on these sources
of funding is a matter for concern. Where materials are such a vital part of the project
operation, restrictions reduce efficiency and effectiveness of the core operation itself.
It is recommended that CASPr, in conjunction with community organisations in
the locality, asks for meetings at government level in order to raise the problem
and seek to rectify this matter across the range of fund-givers.

The display below reveals that the project work of CASPr cuts across a wide range of
differing departments, units and areas of responsibility. Much of the complexity
appears to derive from the way in which governmental responsibilities have
developed and it seems unlikely that this will change in the immediate future. Areas
which orientate to specific objectives and which cut across government departments
are changing however.

Table 4

Mixed funding
advantages • less vulnerable to withdrawal or changes in funding
• less vulnerable to change in government policy
• mixed funding promotes interest from a wider range of
agencies
disadvantages • more work for co-ordination and accounts staff
• more formal accountability duties to perform
• more contact, networking and meetings required

Single agency funding

advantages • builds solid relationship with single agency
• easier development of coherent policy
• less knock-on work
disadvantages • vulnerable to sudden change: fortunes of funded agency
are identical with that of the funder
• dependence: funder can easily impose its will on funded
agency
• can lead to single issue viewpoint

16
No one is excluded because they cannot pay. On low income, even a small obligatory charge could
place some residents in debt.

30
The recent introduction of the National Rehabilitation Authority has necessitated
structural changes in departments. In particular, FAS is now responsible for
"mainstreaming" disabled workers into its programmes. FAS is therefore liable to
modified approaches emerging from the National Development Plan. The funding
profile, which CASPr has developed, shows a close fit with project objectives and
there are both advantages and disadvantages in maintaining a mix.

CASPr needs to maintain a presence in all the areas of funding which it has developed
whilst at the same time, assessing the impact of mainstreaming on all those areas for
which it is responsible. CASPr may be eligible for participation a funding supplied
under the new childcare "package", ensuring retention of workers.

The normal staffing grant for community-based facilities is £50,000 The Minister
for Justice .. announced in July that grants of up to £80,000 would be available to
25 flagship projects to allow them to retain staff and maintain the highest quality
childcare standard. Where other community projects can show that they are
meeting similar standards or where additional funding is warranted because of
the scale of facility or the level of disadvantage involved, they may also be
17
eligible for the enhanced grant [Dept of Justice, Equality and Law Reform ]

Locality based projects are often driven by several objectives which cannot be
contained in any single measure18. For the multi objective agency therefore it is
important to maintain a careful watch on funding agency trends. Whilst CASPr has to
date retained the service of a volunteer treasurer (a founder member of the project)
this situation is vulnerable to change. The consultant recommends the appointment
of a full time accounts post that would fulfil a range of responsibilities:

• maintain the bookkeeping function

• prepare accounts for official audits
• carry out financial reviews
• create systems for fund-raising in liaison with the management committee.
• seek out new sources of funding
• make grant funding applications
• maintain liaison with grant giving agencies
• prepare regular reports for fund giving agencies
• ensure achieved grants have compatibility with CASPr aims and objectives

Owing to differences between community and mainstream economy organisations,

such an appointment will require community accounting experience in addition to
social and community sensibilities.

4.3 Core funding

Which agency should provide core funding however? The question of mainstreaming
should also be examined. A major implication for community groups is that effective
measures should be transferred or integrated into the existing government and agency

17
http://www.irlgov.ie/justice/Press%20Releases/Press-2000/pr-0510.htm
18
Combat Poverty Agency reports stress that no single measure will tackle areas of disadvantage.

31
structure. Guidelines suggest that partnership is one medium of achieving the
necessary mainstream effect. The CASPr project's partnership organisations and
significant range of stakeholders may present the opportunity for mainstreaming. The
table below suggests that the department that connects or links all functions is that of
the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform. That Department has
announced recent developments in child care policy and in gender equality, provided
through the National Development Plan and the Equal Opportunities Child Care
Programme. The estimated relevance to CASPr is charted in Table :

32
Table 5 CASPr finance and function matrix
Service activity
• provision of ancillary
education services
• provision of flexible child
care services which
promote women's equality
• provision of services which
improve school attendance
• provision of services which
tend to reduce negative
street life or "hanging
around"
• provision of "family friendly
initiative in employment"
• provision of local training
• provision of local
employment
• provision of equality
measure for women
• provision of counselling
and advisory services
• provision of community
development services
• provision of child
protection functions
• provision of leisure and
sports activities for
children
• provision of services which
tend to reduce juvenile
crime
• integration of employment
and education at
community level
• provision of services which
contribute to area
regeneration
• provision of measures to
combat social exclusion
• provision of innovative
community services
• provision of t measures
which are "upstream" of
unemployment
Generic function
• education
• social welfare
• equality
• education
• socialisation
• crime reduction
• awareness raising
• employment
• education
• employment
• equality
• mental health and well
being
• social welfare
• area regeneration
• social welfare
• sports
• local development
• drugs strategy
• social planning
• social "control"
• community development
• social (urban) planning
• social welfare
• community development
• social welfare
• education
• social planning
• social "engineering"
Government Department
and associated agencies
• Dept of Education and
Science
• Dept of Justice, Equality
and Law Reform
• Dept of Education and
Science
• Dept of Justice, Equality
and Law Reform
• Local Development and
National Drugs Strategy
• Dept of Enterprise, Trade
and Employment
• National Framework
Committee, Programme for
Prosperity and Fairness
• Dept of Education and
Science
• Dept of Enterprise, Trade
and Employment
• Dept of Enterprise, Trade
Employment
• FAS
• Equality for women
measure, National
Development Plan
• Dept of Health and Children
• Dept of Social, Community
& Family Affairs
• Combat Poverty Agency
• Dublin Corporation
• SVDP (nat. vol.)
• Dept of Health and Children
• Dept of Tourism, Sport and
Recreation
• Local Development and
National Drugs Strategy
Unit/Team
• Dept of Justice, Equality
and Law Reform
• Garda Siochana
• Dept of Employment
• FAS
• Dublin Corporation
• Dept of Social, Community
and Family Affairs
• Dept of Justice, Equality
and Law Reform
• Combat Poverty Agency
• all of above
• EU programmes
• EU programmes
• Dept of Justice, Equality
and Law Reform
33
Table 6 CASPr "fit" with measures for women, children and child care.
Measure
A sum of £2m NDP funding
is available through the
Dept of Justice under the
Measures for Equality of
Women Programme. The
funding is administratively
split into two regions
A sum £5m for grants for
community based child care
facilities which do not
qualify for existing schemes
(Applications subject to
case by case appraisal)
£1m for improved staffing
for community based
projects. Staffing grants can
total £80k.
£5m for a National After
School Initiative
For schools - guarantees
child care provision until
6pm
£5m for improving quality
through training and
research to support career
development for child care
workers and to achieve
"highest possible child care
standards "
£1m for Child Care
employment grants of up to
£5000 each through City
and Enterprise Boards for
employers who take on
child care workers
£5m for improving childcare
provision in local authority
developments - existing
schemes are also covered
Relevance
High
• focus on women and
women's employment
opportunities
• stress on disadvantaged
areas
• lone parents a target
group
High

funding is for community
sector

funding is for
disadvantaged areas

funding is for capital dev.

funding is for those
ineligible for EU funding
on EOCP
High

provides opportunity for
mainstreaming
High

CASPr already has good
fit with this measure

provides opportunity for
development with target
schools.

May cover existing and
future projects
High

CASPr already mounts
quality education

CASPr career path for
entrants already
demonstrated
Low

targets commercial
sector
Low

targets existing and new
schemes

targets local authority
developments
Action

Examine guidelines

Ensure relevance and
eligibility

check mainstreaming
implications

involve stakeholders and
partnerships

Check eligibility

check CASPr
development programme
for compatibility

examine opportunities for
improvement of existing
premises

examine opportunities for
new sites

Check eligibility

examine opportunities for
child supervision
employment

enter firm discussions
with target and other
schools

intensify school-CASPr
partnership

check other projects in
locality for duplication

check eligibility in Partner
ship with school

examine eligibility

liaise with VEC to
establish joint approach
re expansion of
education and training

establish links with local
employers (SMEs)

examine possibility for
joint work or partnership
approach

secure placements or
permanent employment
for CASPr "graduates"

examine links with local
authority

examine possibility for
joint work or approach

examine options to
operate as a consultancy
34
4.4 Funding Options
FAS funding is critical for the work of CASPr. Without this, site employees cannot be
supported. CASPr have endeavoured to provide a consistency in FAS funding such
that the same employees can be retained up to at least 3 years. This is absolutely
necessary for the success of the adult education programme and the supervised work
training of adult participants. There appear to be several options here, one of which
depends on the capacity of FAS to maintain funding (Option 1).

Table 7 Mainstreaming options

Option Implications

1. CASPr continues as at present • Continues with existing funding

constraints
• vulnerable to funding change
• possible "flagship" status
2. CASPr core funding changes to • move from shared adult-child focus to
Women's Equality measure primarily adult focus
• may exclude males
3. CASPr "spins off" parts of the • CASPr centre remains as facilitator-
project as free standing projects enabler-co-ordinator of provision.
• acts as consultant to local providers
• loss of organic relation to
neighbourhoods
• possible loss of voluntary help
4. CASPr mainstreams the totality of • CASPr ceases operations and
the project becomes part of a government
agency.
• permanent staff become staff of a
government department or agency
• decreased accountability probable
• decreased voice probable
• local innovation possibilities reduce
• voluntary assistance may drop
5. CASPr itself becomes a mainstream • CASPr has permanent trainees on
provider fixed term employment and training.
CASPr is paid a capitation fee,
training allowance for each employee.
• possible "flagship" status
• may require to be larger entity
• increased co-ordination necessary
6. CASPr amalgamates with other local • loss of identity
organisations to provide total • increased central co-ordination
locality or network provision (on necessary
behalf of schools or other purchaser) • some economy of scale
• loss of participant-friendly scale
• loss of neighbourhood voice
• decreased accountability

35
Options 1 and 5 appear the most viable in terms of the relationship between adult and
child and neighbourhood. The consultant feels that options 2,3,4 and 6 may result in a
loss of the organic nature of the project. Local residents require a space within which
to come "up to speed". The consultant feels that the repercussions of some aspects of
mainstreaming could easily destroy the progress made by this carefully constructed
project. Until the serious problems of the neighbourhood are addressed, the
outstanding gains of CASPr will continue to be fragile.

At the same time, the direct objective of the CASPr project is to deliver to children
the opportunities they require in order to take advantage of changing economic
circumstances. The project needs to consider whether any funding should be based on
the premise that enabling children's development is the fundamental objective.
Further, the project recognises the important function of consolidation of the school-
home relationship. Particularly with regard to the development of the locality, the
latter could be regarded as the central organising principle of the project. (see
diagram, page -)

The advantage of maintaining a mixed funding profile is evident not only from the
point of view of the project but also from that of Partnerships at community level. It is
advantageous for agencies to collaborate on projects of mutual advantage and which
takes them closer to residents in localities. CASPr has achieved this at the formal and
informal level. In developing the project however, the need for action across a wider
age range and area means consolidating links and formulating joint action. The
schools sector is crucial in mobilising projects of a larger scale. The consultant
recommends that the project form a working party with local education
representatives with the objective of larger mainstream provision carried out in
partnership. A purchaser-provider relationship may prove the most effective
means of financing and operationalising after-school projects. The objective is to
maintain an education function, which is organically closer to neighbourhoods than
would normally be possible, by extending current school-based education provision.

The funding profile would therefore look rather different.

• Central Government: Education funding would play a major part in providing
finance for the after-schools function19. Measures for women and children from
the Dept of Justice funding would support the adult training function, women's
equality and childcare aspects of the project.
• Local Government: At the local level, Dublin Corporation should extend its
contribution in terms of both resources and cash funds. The Corporation should
seek to take over the SVDP contribution and provide more suitable premises
• Community and Voluntary: At community grass-roots level, the project needs to
maintain its links with charities such as SVDP and local benefactors to maintain
funds which allows the project added scope and flexibility. Additional cash from
the Drugs Task Force is useful in that it targets preventive measures at
neighbourhood level. (This requires a little focus in terms of expected outcomes
however.)
In total, this would offer a tripartite partnership structure between central
Government, Local Government and the Community at neighbourhood level.

19
Regardless of the origin of the funding. Dept of Justice may provide funds for education functions.

36
How would this structure look? The diagram below shows the structure of funding
appropriate to the objectives and approach of CASPr, taking into account recently
developed (but not yet operationalised) measures.

Figure 4: Possible tripartite funding structure for CASPr

local
CASPr

Drugs Task
Force: Prevention

Dublin Corporation
local facilities&small grants

Dept. Social Community and

Family Afairs: Creche provision

Health Board
Child Protection; Mental health

Dept of Education
National after-school initiative

Dept of Justice, Equality and Law Reform

1. Community Based Child Care
2. Staffing
3. National after school Initiative

The diagram above shows central funding as underpinning the structure and providing
core funding for labour and the major part of activities. Regional and local funding
appears as the secondary funding which allows the project to mobilise and apply the
core funding. For example the Corporation could be providing or underpinning all
local premises whilst central Government pays the labour costs. Finally, CASPr
retains its own funding to give it flexibility, manoeuvrability and maintain a financial
relationship with localities that it serves.

It is necessary to take into account the physical resources supplied Dublin Corporation
- a vital part of the project. The average rent (per square metre) for physical space
should be incorporated into the program budget, so allocating a cash equivalent for
"gifted" resources.

It is recommended that the CASPr project seek to order its funding in the above
pattern, creating a structure with a solid base of central funding which intersects
with funding allocated at a regional and local level.

37
 SECTION 6: The Child Protection Function

6.0 Child Protection and CASPr

The question of Child Protection is fundamental to any community project dealing
with children. In the case of CASPr, the locality within which it operates is subject to
considerable disadvantage in terms of poor accommodation, unemployment, drug use
and so on. The incidence of children at risk is therefore likely to be relatively high. In
addition, the children clients of CASPr are at a particularly vulnerable age and the
project therefore must seriously address protection matters, evolving systems to
ensure:

• the safety and welfare of children in its care

• the protection of children who appear to suffer from physical and emotional abuse
• the correct reporting of any matters relating to suspected abuse or non-accidental
injury

6.1 Legislation and guidelines

Legislation, including the Child Care Act 1991, the Domestic Violence Act 1996 and
the Protections for Persons Reporting Child Abuse Act, 1998 is relevant for this
function. New guidelines published by the Department of Health and Children20. In
general, guidelines stress the welfare of the child as of paramount importance. At
the same time, it is considered that early action is often the best way to protect
children (and to enable a family to stay together). CASPr has an opportunity to work
with children at an early stage and is therefore in a position to take early action. The
principles of child protection, which are important for CASPr, are summarised below.

1. The welfare of the child is of paramount importance

2. A balance must be struck between protecting children and respecting the rights
of the parents, carers, and families. Where there is conflict the child comes
first
3. Children have a right to be heard, listened to and taken seriously.
4. Intervention and support should be available to promote the welfare of the
child and family
5. Parents and carers have a right to respect
6. Actions taken to protect the child should not be abusive or cause distress.
Every action should consider the overall needs of the child
7. Intervention should not deal with the child in isolation. The child must be seen
in a family setting.
8. Agencies taking protective action should consider gender, age, development-
stage, religion, culture and race.
9. Effective protection requires a co-ordinated multidisciplinary approach and
effective inter-agency management. All organisations …. must work co-
operatively in the best interests of children and families.
10. In practice, effective child protection requires compulsory training and clarity
of responsibilities

20
Dept of Health and Children, Children First: National Guidelines for the Protection and Welfare of
Children, Dublin, Sept. 1999

38
Where CASPr is involved in support work for both children in the after school
project, it works with two sets of clients. Yet the primary project user is the child.
Where there is conflict between the rights of children and parents, however, children
and child protection come first. Protection and Welfare of the Child21 states that:

All information regarding concern or assessment of child abuse should be shared on a

"need to know" basis in the interests of the child.
No undertakings regarding secrecy can be given. Those working with children should
make these clear to all parties involved whilst at the same time explaining rules and
boundaries.

The onus is on all organisations and agencies dealing with children to work according
to these guidelines. In particular, the necessity of inter-agency working is
continuously stressed. CASPr has already established effective working links with
social workers and others working with children such that preventative work and early
intervention at the level of the family can take place. Additionally, the Health Board
secondment of the Community Liaison Officer has ensured the presence of
professional expertise within the organisation

6.2 Procedures and Practice

Adult participants working as employees with CASPr are first made aware of child
protection responsibilities through the in-house education programme. Thereafter,
during project work, systems are in place to ensure formal reporting of suspected
child abuse. All workers must conform to line management reporting principles. An
adult supervisor will report to her supervisor who will take the matter up through the
co-ordinators office. The Community Liaison Officer is responsible for alerting
teachers, social workers and the Garda Siochana.

Although few cases have so far arisen, there is enough evidence to indicate that
training and operational practices are satisfactory. For example, in a case of suspected
sexual abuse, suspicion arose due to graphic sexual drawings produced by a refugee
child. An investigation was mounted and enquiries made involving teachers and social
workers. Enquiries were conducted with discretion and sensitivity. In this case, it was
clear that living in overcrowded hostel accommodation was the probable cause of the
drawings and sexual abuse was considered unlikely. The problem was resolved in that
the family was found accommodation elsewhere. As a result, the child's school
changed and the child was, in any case, forced to withdraw from the project. The case
indicates that in the course of the enquiry, all possible steps were taken to ensure the
safety of the child and to minimise stress for the family. The project was also
concerned to take into account any social, economic or cultural factors that may have
had an influence.

Observation revealed that adult participants are extremely conscious of the children in
the project. In one observed case, a distressed child received immediately attention.
That is, members of staff were aware of the difference between "acting out" and the
child's genuine difficulty. In another case (on a different site) observation and

21
Dept of Health and Children, Children First: National Guidelines for the Protection and Welfare of
Children, Dublin, Sept. 1999 (pp55, Section 8.3, Confidentiality and Anonymity)

39
discussion revealed that staff members were aware of particular children with
additional or special needs. As a result, discreet observation was intensified.

Finally it is necessary to draw attention to the role of the CASPr project in providing a
preventive service. The service to both child and parent is one inherent value in
extending child support mechanisms within localities. (After-school projects are
specifically mentioned22 in section 7.3.4 of "Children First"). Social workers can if
necessary access the CASPr project and vice versa. In a situation where there
continues to be mistrust between residents in disadvantaged communities, the CASPr
Health Broad relationship can help to break down such barriers. It is recommended
that the relationship between the Health Board and CASPr be maintained and
intensified. Visits by social workers to after-school sites should be encouraged. It
would also be useful for adult participants to learn about social work roles and
responsibilities. Exchange visit possibilities could therefore be usefully examined.

This examination points to the necessity of maintaining and enhancing child

protection measures as the scale of the project increases. In the conditions pertaining
to the neighbourhoods involved in the after schools project, the psychological health
of children forms the basis for their further development. In the process, the
awareness and reflection of adult participants is a key element in education
transmission to children. It is recommended that the Health Board secondment be
maintained and extended and that the counselling and personal support function
be intensified. Further, that the Health Board secondment has formal
responsibility for provision of child protection education in conjunction with the
Tutor Manager.

22
Dept of Health and Children, Children First: National Guidelines for the Protection and Welfare of
Children, Dublin, Sept. 1999

40
SECTION 7: Options for development

7.0 Basic elements

This concluding section is devoted to future development of the CASPr project in
whatever financial structure and to the viability of the model for use elsewhere. The
consultant would like to draw attention once more to the organic nature of the project
neighbourhood's relationship. This key aspect of the project is of too much value to
subject to any compromise in structure or funding. In the opinion of the consultant, it
is this aspect that can make or break the project. I refer here to other reviews
conducted by the author where this relationship has either been "grafted on" to
neighbourhoods or which founder upon existing fragmentation within communities23.

Before going on to locate the various possibilities, it is necessary to know exactly

what has to be in place for the success of projects such as CASPr. The following has
been instrumental in CASPr success.

• The community of neighbourhoods, although subject to social and economic

disadvantage has retained a strong sense of self
• This community has a well-developed community structure which has not only
helped to provide services but to provide a reflective view of the history of the
area.
• The community has within and outside of its boundaries, a number of community
activists with a strong sense of altruism and considerable determination
• The CASPr Project founders have "staying power" and cope well with the
frustrations, setbacks and rejections involved in maintaining a complex, grant-
aided project.
• CASPr co-ordination staff have strong leadership skills combine with personal
charisma
• The CASPr Project staff have strong links with local people, politicians, opinion
leaders and agencies which have been maintained throughout a lengthy period
• The CASPr Project has maintained a focus on its original aims and objectives and
has avoided side-tracking which the securing of funding often entails
• The CASPr project has utilised funding in a flexible but transparent manner.
• The CASPr project has high expectations of its adult participants, which are
rewarded in practice
• The CASPr Project maintains a supportive and flexible attitude to adult
participants in which neighbourhood residents can feel safe
• The CASPr Project sees the child as of paramount importance in the project
process.

What are the implications for this and other projects? Launching and maintaining
projects is a difficult task and depends on a certain pre-existing "chemistry" in the
locality. The locality or neighbourhood needs to both need and want the project and
its residents need to have trust in the project staff. Personal qualities of staff and
management members such as community sensibilities, outgoing nature, listening

23
Survey of adult education needs in a South Dublin estate; Review of after-schools project designed
for uptake of school refusers. Virtual Image 1999.

41
skills and proactive outlook are as necessary as the strength of the links they have to
forge to make the project a success. Good staff appointments are therefore vital.

7.1 Development
The possibilities for CASPr are to some extent bound by the constraints of funding
which is itself subject to considerable change. Nevertheless, the extension of after
school systems in general appears inevitable. There is also considerable pressure in
the neighbourhood for additional after school sites serving a larger range of classes
and a wider area of schools. But extending the after school network may result in
compromising the relationship which exists between management, co-ordination and
support functions and adult participation. Has the project reached a critical mass after
which diminishing returns become apparent? In the opinion of the consultant, the
management and co-ordination function is in danger of becoming stretched if there is
an increase in the number of sites. In addition, the introduction of new sites will
almost certainly place the democratic nature of adult participation under threat. It is
recommended that CASPr review its management and co-ordination procedures
using a best case/worst case method. This could entail necessary streamlining of
participation levels, which would necessitate a reduction in mass democracy with a
concomitant increase in representational democracy. That is, the organisation needs to
assess the impact of changes in the way that people get together, having due regard to
confidence levels, the need to learn from each other and the vital necessity of
discussion of critical incidents. This could be compensated for, through adjustments
to the training schedule and the use of practical examples from the project during
adult education.

Figure 5 "base to apex" lines of communication in the CASPr project

Board

Co-ord Parents

S1 S2 S3

Adults Adults Adults

Children Children Chlidren

42
Allowing for the necessary apex to base communications which are present but not
fully included above, lines of communication are fundamentally sound in that they
allow a great deal of passage of information. Communication between parents and
participant adults are seen to be functioning well at the operational level. That is,
there appears to be a good rapport between adult participants, supervisors and parents
on behalf of the children in the project. At the policy level however, children and
parents have little communication with co-ordination and management functions. This
is not to be seen as any error within the project however. It is rather a reflection of the
general socio-economic factors pertaining to the neighbourhood and of general
culture. In order to participate fully, parents and children must be given the necessary
space to develop their capacity for intervention. For example, the current level of
interest is reflected by adult project participation. The locality residents have already
begun to select themselves for participation and are working within CASPr. The
remaining parents are utilising CASPr as locality service provision and are at the
passive stage of "availing" rather than the active stage of "involvement".

How can parents be encouraged to take an active role in the community management
of CASPr? Is there an opportunity to enhancing the role of the adult participants such
that training and development prepares them for activism at community level beyond
the sphere of CASPr? That is, can the development of participants result in input into
the level of voluntary community activism? This demands a personal transition from
adult participants, just at the time when they may be preparing to leave for full time
jobs. Research elsewhere suggests that the level of voluntary activity in Irish society
is falling. In 1990, European research24 indicated voluntary activity was high
compared to other EU states but recent information suggests that this level has been
adversely affected by social and economic change - particularly by female take-up of
opportunities presented by an "improved" labour market25. As a result, the tendency
of community activism is spread "thinly", the same activists fulfilling several diverse
functions across a range of local (and non-local) organisations.

Community activists:
• often have full time jobs in the community sector
• work longer than average hours beyond their job descriptions
• are in demand, "courted" by organisations in the network due to their experience

In consequence, the development of a layer of community professionals substitutes

for participation at a general level and in some ways builds a barrier to the
involvement of ordinary citizens26. It is a case of positive attributes resulting in
unintended negative effects. It is inevitable that citizens may feel excluded by
professionals. Professionals appear as people who deal with familiar issues in a
"polished manner". Thus the integration of ordinary citizens into committee structures
and work at the policy level demands demonstration of relevance, encouragement,
education, training and considerable initial persuasion. A staged entry to committee
life may be necessary so that familiarisation and training can take place. The
consultant recommends the formation of a Parents Advisory Group in which
adult participants work with other interested parents to enhance the project. The
24
Chanan, G. Out of the Shadows, European Foundation, Dublin 1992
25
Shanks, C., Access Denied?: Low income access to credit, Credit and Debt Policy Group, Dublin,
1997
26
Due to taken-for-granted values, language and organisation

43
group input might be transmitted through a representative to the Management
committee for example. Such representatives can in time become full members of the
Management Board.

7.2 Training for Transformation

Demonstration of relevance can be achieved through various methods. The
consultant recommends that a Training for Transformation programme be
introduced in addition to existing courses. This course targets community activists
with the aim of integrating experience into a political framework where objective
social and economic circumstances are highlighted and acknowledged. Participants
are encouraged to understand the dynamics of economic processes and their own
place within an advanced industrial society. Through consciousness raising,
community activists are better placed to interface with economic conditions and to
take a position that minimises (misplaced or inappropriate) personal responsibility for
poverty, inequality and exclusion. The multiplier effect ensures the community
transmission of new and more positive values in relation to social change. Participants
become less passive, more perceptive. They are enabled to take a positive, reflective
approach to their lives. Available courses can be arranged for participants or be
carried out at a local level in conjunction with other organisations.

7.3 Child and parent representation

CASPr has made useful attempts to provide democracy and transparency, but may
need to more fully integrate children and parents into the process. The diagram below
charts a method of carrying this out which aims to bring "client" participants into the
process in a gradual way. I have also introduced a children forum and children
advocate at this point. Although this may be considered innovative I feel that this is a
logical development of children rights - particularly where CASPr children
participants are getting older.

In this model, the adult participants help to encourage parent representation. Since
many are also parents with children in CASPr I feel this is a realistic option. Parents
should be encouraged to claim a permanent space on the Board, reserved for parents.
At the same time, children are encouraged to meet across projects (perhaps on a
"Children's Dáil" manner, allowing for maturity. The point is that it should be fun
whilst they learn about discussion and being assertive. The children need to feel that
this is for them and that they have a real say. A parent from the Parents Advisory
Group might chair the get-togethers and transmit any anxieties, worries or grievances.
In the event of any occasion where any child feels that they are subject to
discrimination, they could have recourse to an independent advocate who has direct
access to the Board. Management or Supervision staff. This may cause concern to
some staff, but this is an issue which can be fully explored in development, training or
in Training for Transformation sessions if mounted.

This action would constitute an advance in children rights, which must logically
follow from developments in national equality issues. Recent revisions in attitudes to
children and the recognition of episodes of poor treatment in childcare demand
protective structures to be put in place. Yet in development of child provision, the
voice of the child can still be ignored or become lost. The consultant feels that the
CASPr project is in a position to lead developments in this area. Independent

44
advocacy could and should be provided through Dept of Justice or Health Board
funding but at the same time such a service should remain independent. It is
recommended that CASPr consult with youth organisations such as Foroige to
implement a children rights pilot scheme.

Figure 6: Possible structure to increase participation by parents and

children

Board Parents Representation

Co-ord Management TFT

S S S Supervisors
Ind. Parent
Advocate Advisory
Group
Adults Adults Adults

Children Children Children YP

Forum,

7.4 CASPr organisation

Earlier in this report, attention was drawn to the need for an additional post devoted to
finance. The current CASPr organisation performs well in this area due to the services
and expertise of a volunteer treasurer. Particularly in view of the increase in size of
the organisation, this voluntary assistance needs to be "mainstreamed" into the overall
staff structure. Other developments will require an enhanced structure. In particular
the introduction of a youth club to cater for those after school participants who are
now more mature and may desire a different environment. This aspect of CASPr work
requires professional input at the development stage in order to avoid the pitfalls of
education-orientated youth work. In the consultant's view, youth work tends to be
structured according to adult aspiration. That is, work is primarily ordered according
to an adult "world view". This is not to denigrate well intentioned youth work carried
out by committed professionals, but to emphasise that in many cases, projects are
adult-led with little space allowed for young people to influence activities and
direction. The development calls for the appointment of a professional worker who
will work in collaboration with young people in the enabling of:

• design of premises
• decoration of premises
• primary and secondary activities
• democratic structures

45
Naturally, this depends on the age and maturity of the young people involved. Yet the
sensibilities of the worker will be critical. A good worker needs to "give up power"
and trust the abilities of young people to carry through successful project work. The
CASPr Project needs to avoid the "table tennis" syndrome, typical of youth clubs
across Ireland and the UK27. EU experience suggests that suitable models can be
found elsewhere (Portugal, Belgium). Closer to home, the Northern Ireland Voluntary
Trust unattached youth programme28 offers invaluable experience in this regard. The
consultant recommends the development of youth services utilising the experience of
successful youth-led projects.

The overall structure of CASPr could be developed as follows:

Figure 7: Changes in CASPr staff structure

Co-ordinator

Community
Accountant Tutor Administrator
Liaison
Manager

Youth
Development
Contract Supervisors Officer
Trainers

Adult Particpants (after schools sites)

Existing Posts
New Posts
Contract or secondments

Lines of communication and supervision are necessarily more diffuse than is

represented here. That is, the organisation is less hierarchical and is hence a little
"flatter" than the diagram suggests. However it is necessary to locate the accountant in
a slightly more "remote" position in order to give the staff member space to
accomplish tasks. The accountant however should be involved in the financial training

27
Shanks K., Roadworks: a review of mobile youth projects, Playbus Association, Bristol, 1991
28
Shanks K., and Galli da Bino, C., Equal to the Future, NIVT, Belfast, 1996

46
of supervisors and adult participants. Similarly, the youth development officer needs
space to develop the youth project. Naturally, adjustments would have to be made to
the participation structure when a youth project comes "on stream".

47
Appendix "A": Executive Summary

(i) The report begins by summarising various aspects of the CASPr Project. It
describes CASPr as an ambitious project that has built a large multi function
project from voluntary beginnings. CASPr began as a voluntary project and
grew to a professional EU funded programme. Then report emphasises the
goodness of fit between the project and the area that it serves. The report also
outlines the problems currently affecting the CASPr Project. These problems
derive from accommodation difficulties, problems around funding and funding
arrangements and aspects of development

(ii) The report describes the locality in which CASPr operates. The area is one
with a history of social disadvantage and which is presently subject to
economic and social change deriving in part from encroachment of Docklands
development and some "bourgeousification" caused by a movement of
professionals back to the inner city. The area continues to exhibit significant
social problems of poverty, unemployment, early school leaving, high
incidence of lone parent families and drug abuse. The environment is poor and
is marked by housing stock in need of repair. At the same time, much of the
area is socially homogenous, typified by a sense of belonging. The report
comments on the draft action plan for the localities and considers that the
CASPr project is soundly based in an area much in need of provision.

(iii) The report describes the opportunities and constraints of the evaluation
research. The report considers that an effective demonstration of CASPr
outmodes requires a longitudinal programme for which this research could
provide the starting point. The report lays out the interview structure for the
evaluation whilst commenting that observation is a key method for evaluating
child projects. The report acknowledges the limitations given the time period
but stresses that valuable insight can be achieved at this stage. The report
considers that the CASPr Project managed to convey the full extent of its
operation during the research period.

(iv) The report outlines the history of CASPr from its origination as a voluntary
project through development to a fully funded (multi-funded) project
administering a large CE sponsored scheme. It describes the project as
ambitious in the manner, which brings local adults, some of who have learning
difficulties, together with local children. The report describes the project as
one that cuts against the rubric of community work by contemporaneously
engaging with two client groups in pursuit of a series of objectives relating to
the localities in which it works. The project is regarded as one, which places a
high degree of confidence in the abilities of ordinary people to resolve
problems. Through this approach it believes that it can operate as a model,
which will play a part in redeveloping localities and serve as an example for
attracting inward investment.

(v) The report describes the operational practice of the CASPr project describing
the relationship between the three after school projects and the training and
supervision of the CE workers in the project. The report draws attention to the
training and development of adults which supports the work of the after school

48
 projects and to the support structures which accompany these activities. The
report stresses the need for support structures for those undergoing a process
of personal change, which may feel pressured or stressful.

(vi) The report describes the work of the adults in supervising children, from
meeting and pick-up at school through to leisure activities that follow core
homework sessions. It describes the "feel" of the projects as warm and
hospitable in an atmosphere conducive to learning.

(vii) The report examines the statistical base of CASPr operations and
suggests that these be supplemented by a focus on area statistics that chart the
possible effects at locality level. The report suggests a program planning
approach to evaluation and gives examples of the analytical method necessary.

(viii) The report examines the project using the consumer model of access,
choice, voice and accountability. It designates children, adult participants and
parents as the consumers or "clients" of the CASPr project. The report stresses
that the project seeks to retain participants over a three-year period such that
education and training will be effective. As such, places are limited. The
report finds that given the child care responsibilities of the project, recruitment
procedures are necessarily restrictive but do not exclude residents of the
localities involved. The report notes the way in which those with children are
not excluded from participation. Parents whom are in the project may bring
their children to the sessions. The introduction of a crèche will solidify this
effective arrangement.

(ix) The report notes that the project is predominantly female but suggests that
men may self-exclude from what they may regard as a woman's profession.
Further, that joining a predominantly female project may be off-putting or
even frightening for men. The report stresses that the CASPr Project may need
to consider this matter further, in order to determine the desirable gender
make-up of the project

(x) The report comments that parents exhibit high satisfaction with the project.
Further that improved access to schools and education and an improved home
school relationship were positive outcomes of the project. The report notes
that although children entry to the project is technically "closed" (restricted to
their school class), that children are under no pressure to participate.
Attendance is a meatier for negotiation between parent and child.

(xi) The report examines access to buildings and finds that a warm, inviting
atmosphere typifies all premises. The report finds that the interior and exterior
of one project site could be improved to the benefit of adults and children. The
report observes the sharing problems on one Dublin Corporation site and
acknowledges the role of the Corporation in addressing these difficulties. The
report identifies circulation space as an area for improvement in this building.
The report identifies signage as an area through which improvements in access
could be made for local people. The report identifies lack of disability access
as a problem area. The disabled may select out on the basis of knowledge of

49
 limited access. The report otherwise identifies the training and development
space as excellent and the location and "reachability" of all sites as very good.

(xii) The report examines the opportunities to voice opinions on the way in
which the project is managed and on its future development. The report finds
that every effort is made to encourage the voice of adult participants but that
the growing sixes may necessitate Sonoma reorganisation. The report
acknowledges the growth in self-confidence and suggests that this positive
outcome brings with it internal criticism. It is suggested that there is a
requirement for supervisors and adult participants to develop increased
awareness of the role of the "centre". Co-ordination responsibilities must be
acknowledged and criticism integrated in a positive manner.

(xiii) The report suggests that the voice of parents is a little weak but
acknowledges the difficulties that this presents for any community
organisation. It is also suggested that although the voice of the child is
encouraged in terms of activities and although children display high
satisfaction with the project, that this area could be improved in terms of the
development of children assertiveness. The report comments that children's
rights is a question that should be addressed by all community projects
working with young people and considers that the CASPr project is in a
position to offer leadership in this area.

(xiv) The report reviews accountability in terms of grant givers, parents,

adult participants and children. It notes that the accountability structures are
very good, given current circumstances. The report offers suggestions to
improve accountability in relation to children.

(xv) The report examines monitoring and assessment and suggests that the project
introduces a basic assessment scheme which monitors children's
improvements. The report suggests that although this places extra pressure on
adult participants that this exercise is extremely valuable for all concerned. In
particular, it could usefully form part of adult training. A system is suggested
in an appendix to the report.

(xvi) The report examines the finance question in relation to the CASPr
operation. It finds that CASPr has approached this function in a very effective
and transparent manner despite difficulties that are common to the community
sector. These difficulties such as restrictions on within-budget expenditure and
late payments have been dealt with in a flexible manner. Difficulty in finding
funding for physical resources such as equipment, learning aids and
consumables have generally been resolved through private fund raising and
the CASPr project should be commended for its voluntary efforts. The report
suggests that this outcome of a valuable relationship with the locality should
be retained. The report nevertheless suggests that a locality meeting should be
called in order to intervene and rectify restrictive aspects of grant funding at
government level.

(xvii) The report examines the question of mixed and single agency funding
and suggests that a mixed funding profile offer some protection from funding

50
 cuts. It suggests that CASPr should retain a mixed funding profile whilst
solidifying core funding. The report recommends the appointment of a
community accountant with fund raising responsibilities.

(xviii) The report examines recent statements from the Department of Justice
in relation to childcare "packages". The report recommends that the CASPr
project looks carefully at proposals with a view to securing funds either on its
own behalf or though partnership with education bodies such as schools.

(xix) The report analyses the activities and generic functions undertaken by
CASPr and suggests that the most appropriate funding sources are those of the
Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform and the Department of
Education. The report suggests however that a tripartite basis of funding
would be appropriate for the CASPr organisation. That is, a combination of
funding from Central Government, local Government and the Community
itself structured by partnership and purchaser-provider relationships.

(xx) The report examines options for mainstreaming but expresses anxiety
concerning community choice, voice and accountability. The report suggests
options for development that retain the independence and organic link with the
community, which have contributed to CASPr success.

(xxi) The report looks at Child Protection function and specifies CASPr
responsibilities under current legislation. The report identifies areas of good
operational practice, which confirm that training, experience and procedures
are working well. Observation reveals that members of staff have excellent
sensibilities in this regard and the few cases that have emerged have been dealt
with in a professional and sensitive manner. The report nevertheless suggests
that this function should be maintained and intensified. It notes the vital role of
the Health Board secondment (community liaison) and recommends that this
staff resource should be retained.

(xxii) The report identifies those aspects of CASPr, which have been
essential to its successful operation, prior to offering suggestions for
development. The report examines aspect of co-ordination and communication
and suggests the introduction of a Parents Advisory Group who would elect
representatives on to the Management Board. It is further suggested that
efforts be made to include the children in the democratic aspects of the project
through discussion and role-play. The report suggests that a parent could be
involved in such sessions.

(xxiii) The report addresses the question of children grievances (although it

notes that there have been none to date. It suggests that this pre-emptive
measure of introducing independent children advocacy would be a good model
and demonstration of good practice for other projects to emulate. The report
notes that staff might find this threatening and suggests that a "training for
transformation" course might be mounted as a consciousness raising exercise.

(xxiv) The report agrees with the strategy of introducing a youth club to retain
the "cohort" of existing children. The report recommends the introduction of a

51
youth development officer who would address the question of a youth-led
project. The report asks for a youth approach that privileges the world-view of
the young person rather than that of adults.

52
Appendix "B": Summary of recommendations

a. The CASPr project is examining the way in which participants and supervisors
can be included in management decision-making. It is recommended that this
process should be intensified.

b. It is recommended that CASPr investigates means of improving the involvement

of children such that the level of children accountability is improved.

c. It is recommended that CASPr review all data and information collection to

maximise self-knowledge and overall awareness.

d. It is recommended that information and data work should be integrated into adult
training.

e. It is recommended that there be an introduction of a children assessment scheme

designed and implemented by the CASPr project, utilising its aims and objectives
and reflecting its principles and ethos. An example is attached as appendix.

f. It is recommended that CASPr, in conjunction with community organisations in

the locality, asks for meetings at government level in order to raise the problem of
restrictions within grant funding. In conjunction with similar organisations,
CASPr should seek to rectify this matter across the range of fund-givers.

g. The appointment of a full time accounts post is recommended to fulfil a range of

responsibilities as follows:

• maintain the bookkeeping function

• prepare accounts for official audits
• carry out financial reviews
• create systems for fund-raising in liaison with the management
committee.
• seek out new sources of funding
• make grant funding applications
• maintain liaison with grant giving agencies
• prepare regular reports for fund giving agencies
• ensure achieved grants have compatibility with CASPr aims and
objectives

h. It is recommended that the project form a working party with local education
representatives with the objective of larger mainstream provision carried out in
partnership. A purchaser-provider relationship may prove the most effective
means of financing and operationalising after-school projects. The objective is to
maintain an education function, which is organically closer to neighbourhoods
than would normally be possible, by extending current school-based education
provision.

53
i. It is recommended that the CASPr project seek to order its funding in a tripartite
manner, creating a structure with a solid base of central funding which intersects
with funding allocated at a regional and local level. Direct fund raising should be
retained.

j. It is recommended that the relationship between the Health Board and CASPr be
maintained and intensified. Visits by social workers to after-school sites should
also be encouraged. It would also be useful for adult participants to learn about
social work roles and responsibilities. Exchange visit possibilities could therefore
be usefully examined.

k. It is recommended that the Health Board secondment be maintained and extended

and that the counselling and personal support function be intensified. Further, that
the Health Board secondment has formal responsibility for provision of child
protection education in conjunction with the Tutor Manager.

l. It is recommended that CASPr review its management and co-ordination

procedures using a best case/worst case method. This could entail necessary
streamlining of participation levels.

m. The formation of a Parents Advisory Group is recommended, in which adult

participants work with other interested parents to enhance the project. The group
input might be transmitted through a representative to the Management committee
for example. Such representatives can in time become full members of the
Management Board.

n. It is recommended that CASPr consult with youth organisations such as Foroige to

implement a children rights pilot scheme.

o. It is recommended that CASPr implement the development of youth services

utilising the experience of successful youth-led projects.

p. It is recommended that a Training for Transformation programme be introduced in

addition to existing courses. This course targets community activists.

54
Appendix "C" Eliciting the voice of the child

In the CASPr initiative, relevant child involvement practice can cover the following
areas29 that recent research and development suggests that this is an area that should
also apply to schools in general. Naturally, the age and development of the child
should be taken into account. Power relationships also need to be taken into account.
We need to bear in mind that professionals have offices, telephones faxes, jargon,
shorthand, access, networks, and lines of communications. Children have few or none
of these. At the same time, children need to learn how to "state their views in polite,
assertive and challenging way30". In this way CASPr can provide a function that
complements, extends and solidifies the work of the school.

Thus children need to be involved in:

• decision making about the after-school projects (sites) generally

• participation in the learning processes through "CASPr participant" styles which
encourage active learning
• the assessment of individual progress, targets and achievements, strengths and
weaknesses
• the assessment of special educational needs, etc
• choices concerning activities

Resources can include the following

A: Questionnaires about "Me and my work":

• What work do I do at the school? (CASPr

• What situations do I face at the school? (CASPr)
• What kind of help do I need? (CASPr)
• What kind of support do I need (CASPr)

B: Checklist for workers

• are children involved in ….

assessment procedures?

learning materials and aids?

project development?

general project life?

evaluation procedures?
• what does a child do with a new idea?
• are the child's new ideas encouraged or discouraged?
• could children involvement be encouraged through use of existing materials and
activities?
• are children clear about CASPr workers' roles?

29
Adapted from Clifford (1993).
30
Gersch, I.S., et al, "Listening to children in educational contexts" in The Voice of the Child, ed.
Davie et al, Falmer Press, London (1996)

55
Appendix "D" Programme Planning sheet: example figures hypothetical

ACTIVITY CHILD PROTECTION

Legislation Acts: Child Care Act 1991,Domestic Violence Act 1996

Protections for Persons Reporting Child Abuse Act, 1998
Guidelines: National Guidelines for the Protection and
Welfare of Children, Dublin, Sept. 1999

Related activities Training, child supervision

This activity is mobilised through training and supervision.

Staff members attend initial and ongoing education classes
and specialist seminars. Project activity is monitored to
Description identify any children showing signs of physical or emotional
abuse. Cases are referred to co-ordinator and Community
Liaison Officer who liaise with appropriate agencies. No of
case referred in year 99/00 is - 2

Perceived need Area is one of social disadvantage, poverty,

redevelopment, immigration. High incidence likely. Official
statistics indicate that ….

Activity utilises general office resources

Community Liaison Officer spends 1% of time on referred
Resources cases and 10% of time on training. Total: 11/100 fte
Staff Training Hours: 10 hours per person per year
Finance: 5% of overall budget
Overall cost of activity: £12,000 (example)

Indicators Continual assessment. Log entries. Case studies

Gaps in provision Children's p.o.v. needs encouragement

Plans for Adoption of specialist criteria. Liaison with Health Board.

development Case conferences

Constraints Confidentiality and information sharing

Opportunities Opportunity to increase participant awareness of child

problems in relation to particular social issues

Any other relevant Few problems currently. Exogenous factors (drugs abuse,
factors overcrowding) may increase incidence.

56
 APPENDIX "E"

Towards an assessment system for children and young people in the CASPr
project

EXAMPLE ONLY!

-2 -1 0 +1 +2

• Child is • Child has • Child shows • Child shows • Child is able

disruptive, limited potential, has marked to focus,
with limited concentration ability to improvement able to
concentration and has some concentrate in ability to concentrate
and liable to problems concentrate on tasks
be completing without
immediately tasks distraction
distracted
from the task
in hand
• Child has low • Child has • Child has • Child's • Child has
confidence confidence demonstrated confidence is enough
and self but has confidence in improving. confidence
esteem problems in some tasks Child's self to challenge
some areas and esteem without
which affect demonstrated developing disruption.
capabilities potential to strongly • Child has
and develop good self
interaction esteem

etc…..

The above example is only a guide. The CASPr project should develop its own
indicators for appropriate assessment and anchor points. The anchor points are
particularly useful for demonstrating to children that they have improved and in what
areas. They can also help where staff, adult assistants or volunteers change, move
away, etc.

57