CDI reports another year of significant impact for young people and families

THE Childhood Development Initiative (CDI), based in Fettercairn, has published its 2025 Annual Report, which has revealed another year of significant impact for children, young people and families.

The report showed that 591 students across eight schools received support through CDI’s Nova Youth Mental Health Programme and 228 one-to-one meetings were held with parents seeking support.

It also reported a total of 61,000 books delivered to local children through its book gifting programme, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library’, which provides children with access to books and literacy support from an early age.

51 home visits were completed with families requiring additional help, while 884 children and parents participated in the literacy programme, Doodle Den.

As concerns continue to grow nationally around school attendance, youth mental health, literacy and the pressures facing families, this new report from CDI shows how prevention and early intervention programmes are helping thousands of local children and parents.

At the same time, CDI continues to address concerns around literacy and educational disadvantage through Doodle Den and Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library.

Marian Quinn, CEO of CDI, said: “When we talk about school attendance, literacy, youth mental health or child poverty, we’re talking about real children and families in our communities.

“Every day our team sees how early support can make a difference, whether that’s helping a child discover a love of reading, supporting a family through a difficult time, or helping a young person reconnect with school.

“Prevention and early intervention work because these approaches address issues before they become crises.”

One of the most significant developments during the year was the expansion of CDI’s work to tackle school avoidance and youth mental health.

The organisation’s online School Avoidance Toolkit has been accessed almost 4,000 times and provides practical support for schools, families and young people experiencing emotionally based school avoidance.

The CDI, which is partly funded by the Government’s Area Based Childhood Programme, works to break the cycle of child poverty and improve outcomes for children in disadvantaged areas of Ireland.

CDI designs and delivers evidence-informed programmes around Ireland to address local needs in areas such as language, literacy, health and community safety, aiming that every child will thrive, be healthy, happy and poverty- Using a strengths-based, family- and child-centred approach, CDI works in partnership to deliver early intervention programmes.

They also support parents and provide capacity-building measures for professionals, all underpinned by evidence and innovation.

Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme