Vol. 471 No. 2
25 Mr. Clohessy asked the Minister for Health whether there is to be any review of the mechanism for validation by the health boards of child sexual abuse allegations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20468/96]
The assessment procedures followed by health boards in investigating alleged cases of child sexual abuse are in accordance with the 1987 child abuse guidelines issued by the Department of Health. Sexual abuse, as distinct from other forms of abuse, has particular features which require special attention and the child abuse guidelines set out a number of issues which must be borne in mind in such cases. Procedures for the assessment of child sexual abuse are reviewed internally within health boards on a regular basis as part of the overall management of child care services. As with the child abuse guidelines in general, any formal review at Departmental level will have to await the outcome of the current debate on the mandatory reporting of child abuse as a decision to introduce such reporting arrangements would fundamentally alter the context in which such a review would take place. As I have previously announced, I will be taking a decision in relation to mandatory reporting before the end of the year.
Since 1993, additional resources totalling £35 million have been invested in the development of child care services. All health boards availed of this funding to strengthen their community care teams to protect children from abuse and specific measures were undertaken to improve services to assess the alleged victims of child sexual abuse. These included the expansion of services at the child sex abuse units at Our Lady's Hospital Crumlin, Temple Street Hospital and Waterford Regional and the development of the child abuse unit at St. Finbarr's Hospital Cork.
Earlier this year the South Eastern Board engaged a consultant to undertake an evaluation of their Child Abuse Validation Unit in Waterford Regional Hospital. The research material, which confirmed the high quality of the service being provided, is to be the subject of a seminar to be hosted by the board in Kilkenny next week. Key staff from child sexual abuse assessment units throughout the country as well as a number of my Departmental officials have been invited to attend to examine the issues raised by the research.
