Crowe gets Childhood Development Initiative update

Dublin South West Sinn Féin TD, Seán Crowe, recently met Marian Quinn, the CEO of Tallaght West Child Development Initiative (CDI) in Leinster House, to learn of the research and evaluation findings on the health, literacy, and education programmes for children which they have developed.

Crowe met the Chief Executive Officer with his Sinn Féin colleagues Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin TD and Sandra McLellan TD

Deputy Seán Crowe said:

“I would like to thank CDI for coming in to brief us on the ground breaking work that the Tallaght West Childhood Development Initiative (CDI) actually do.

“CDI supports the delivery of a range of early intervention and prevention programmes which aim to improve outcomes for children who come from disadvantaged backgrounds.

“In 2003 they began developing a strategy to improve the health, safety and learning of the children of Tallaght West, as well as to increase these children’s sense of belonging to their community, and since 2007 they have been implementing 8 different programmes to achieve these aims.

“A lot of CDI’s work includes innovative and important research, which is providing educational and youth specialists, as well as politicians, with specialised data which will allow them to better design educational programmes that will improve the educational standard for children right across the state.

“Early intervention and prevention programmes have been shown to have a hugely positive affect on children, particularly those in disadvantaged areas. I have been supportive of the work of the CDI and I will continue to support their work Tallaght West. Thankfully there is also cross party support for their important work.

“This important work needs to be nurtured and financially supported. Policies also need to be adjusted to take advantage of the lessons learned from CDI’s research, which shows positive educational outcomes for children through their innovative programmes.”