Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 30 April 2024
575. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the status of the development of a national policy on protecting children from sexual exploitation, as per recommendation 5.3.1 of the Protecting Against Predators report by the Sexual Exploitation Research Programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19003/24]
View answerChildren in the care of the State are some of the most vulnerable individuals in our society. Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, and my Department are committed to promoting safe and high quality practice in all areas of Alternative Care.
The Child Care Act, 1991, as amended, provides the statutory foundation for the promotion of welfare and protection of all children. Building on that, Children First provides national guidance for professionals, organisations and individuals to help keep children safe and protected from harm, including sexual exploitation and abuse.
The Children First Act 2015, which was fully commenced in December 2017, provides in detail for a number of key child protection measures, including raising awareness of child abuse and neglect, providing for mandated reporting of child protection concerns, and improving child protection arrangements in organisations providing services to children.
The Children First Act also established the Children First Inter-Departmental Implementation Group, on which each Government Department, Tusla, the HSE and An Garda Síochána is represented, on a statutory footing. The functions of the Implementation Group include promoting compliance by Government Departments with their obligations under the Act.
The Children First Act operates side-by-side with the non-statutory obligations provided for in Children First: National Guidance for the Protection and Welfare of Children 2017. These guidelines have been in place since 1999 and were fully revised and published in October 2017 to include reference to provisions of the Act. The Guidance sets out definitions of abuse, and signs for its recognition. It explains how reports about reasonable concerns of child abuse or neglect should be made by the general public and professionals to Tusla. It also sets out safeguarding best practice to assist any organisation providing a service to children to create a safe environment.
Tusla has a statutory obligation to notify An Garda Síochána (AGS) of all incidences of suspected child sexual exploitation, including those relating to children in the care of the State. AGS leads the investigation into these notifications. Consequently, Tusla liaises closely with Gardaí, and also has an assigned Principal Social worker based with Garda National Protective Services.
Finally, where there may be child welfare concerns, the onus falls on all of us to report concerns that a child may have been, is being, or is at risk of being abused or neglected. Tusla has developed a comprehensive referral system through which organisations, the public and mandated people can share their concerns for a child potentially at risk of neglect or abuse.
