A US-inspired programme for children with emotional and behavioural difficulties will be rolled out across the State after being piloted on 123 families in Clondalkin, it will be announced today.
Instead of just focusing on the child, Incredible Years involves separate training programmes for parents, teachers and children. The programme is aimed at children from three to 10 years of age.
Some 200 children and their families outside the Clondalkin area are currently using the programme which was developed in the University of Washington by Dr Carolyn Webster Stratton.
After the pilot programme in Clondalkin, 80 per cent of families reported high levels of satisfaction with the programme. Parents said they had "significant improvements" in their relationships with their child and improved behaviour at home.
This morning Minister for Health Mary Harney will formally launch Archways, the new Government-supported agency which delivers the Incredible Years programme.
By 2009, it will be available in 11 locations including Dundalk, Galway, Cork, Offaly and the greater Dublin region.
Further research conducted by Archways and NUI Maynooth found that parents reported improvements in coping skills, stress and anger control, family supports and communication.
The programme came about after the Clondalkin Partnership noted that the numbers of children experiencing emotional and behavioural difficulties was increasing but fewer than one in 10 children were receiving any level of service.
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