Minister for Children, Disability and Equality Norma Foley has allocated more than €320,000 from Ireland’s Dormant Accounts Fund to boost prevention and early intervention services for children and young people nationwide. A total of €329,625 has been awarded to 13 community and voluntary organisations under the 2025 What Works Enhancing Quality Fund, with grants of up to €30,000 each aimed at improving outcomes for children, young people and families.gov
Targeting early intervention
The funding supports services working in areas such as mental health, parenting, bereavement, early childhood development, social inclusion, domestic violence prevention and trauma‑informed practice. The 13 successful projects were selected from 119 eligible applications following an independent assessment process, underscoring strong demand for investment in frontline supports.gov
Ministerial focus on impact
Minister Foley described the allocation as a direct investment in children and young people, emphasising that Dormant Accounts money is being steered towards services with the greatest potential impact. She highlighted the What Works initiative as a way to ensure high‑quality, evidence‑informed supports have the resources needed to make a lasting difference in communities across the country.gov
Minister of State Jerry Buttimer, whose department oversees the Dormant Accounts Fund, said the scheme continues to assist the most vulnerable and welcomed the focus on measures that will benefit young people nationwide. His remarks underline a whole‑of‑government push to use unclaimed funds to tackle entrenched disadvantage and improve access to key services.gov
Projects funded across Ireland
The funded organisations range from large national charities to specialist local services, reflecting a broad spectrum of need. Nationwide projects include Barnardos’ evaluation of its Children’s Bereavement Service, Childhood Matters’ professional development in infant mental health, Children in Hospital Ireland’s quality framework for hospital supports, the Early Learning Initiative’s work on home visiting, Foróige’s evaluation of Creative Community Alternatives, and the Irish Foster Care Association’s programme on sensorimotor supports for at‑risk babies and toddlers.gov
Regional initiatives target specific communities and risks. These include South Presentation Centre CLG’s project to disrupt immigrant children’s trajectory into child protection in Cork, the Rotunda Hospital’s web‑based developmental follow‑up for high‑risk infants in Dublin, Emotion Skills Ireland’s trauma‑informed, whole‑school mental health pilot, a Roma Cultural Mediation project under the School Completion Programme, Saoirse Domestic Violence Services’ youth‑led healthy relationships workshops, Circle of Security training through the Daughters of Charity Child and Family Service, and enhanced bereavement support training at the Children’s Grief Centre in Limerick.gov
What Works and the Enhancing Quality Fund
Launched in 2019, the What Works initiative uses Dormant Accounts funding to build capacity, data and evidence across prevention and early intervention services for children and young people. It prioritises research, professional development and quality improvement so that organisations can deliver interventions that are effective, equitable and responsive to changing needs.whatworks+1
The 2025 Enhancing Quality Fund specifically backs continuous improvement and innovation, helping not‑for‑profit providers embed evidence‑informed practice in line with national policy frameworks such as Young Ireland 2023–2028. By funding evaluations, training and new models of practice, the scheme aims to hard‑wire learning and accountability into services that work with children, young people and families across Ireland.whatworks+1
