Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 16 Jun 1998

Vol. 492 No. 4

Written Answers. - Child Abuse.

Paul McGrath

Question:

18 Mr. McGrath asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will confirm that there are 400 children who have been reported to the Eastern Health Board as at risk or are the victims of physical or sexual abuse or neglect as of this date whose circumstances have not yet been investigated or assessed; the number of reports of child abuse or neglect received by the board on average each week; the steps, if any, being taken to ensure that the board complies with its statutory duty to protect the welfare of children and to require that there be a speedy response and investigation of reports; and his views on whether the situation is satisfactory. [14119/98]

Seán Barrett

Question:

48 Mr. Barrett asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will confirm that there are 400 children who have been reported to the Eastern Health Board as at risk or are the victims of physical or sexual abuse or neglect as of this date whose circumstances have not yet been investigated or assessed; the number of reports of child abuse or neglect received by the Board on average each week; the steps, if any, being taken to ensure that the board complies with its statutory duty to protect the welfare of children and to require that there be a speedy response and investigation of reports; and his views on whether the situation is satisfactory. [14118/98]

Alan Shatter

Question:

217 Mr. Shatter asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will confirm that there are 400 children who have been reported to the Eastern Health Board as at risk, or are the victims, of physical or sexual abuse or neglect as of this date whose circumstances have not yet been investigated or assessed; the number of reports of child abuse or neglect received by the board on average each week; the steps, if any, being taken to ensure that the board complies with its statutory duty to protect the welfare of children and to require that there be a speedy response and investigation of reports; and his views on whether the situation is satisfactory. [14273/98]

Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children (Mr. Fahey)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 18, 48 and 217 together.

The Eastern Health Board has experienced a 78 per cent increase in referrals of suspected child abuse between 1992 and 1996. Information in relation to the number of reports awaiting investigation on a particular date is not routinely collected. However, I wish to advise the Deputy that of the 1,121 cases on the waiting list for social work services at the end of December 1997, 379 cases related to child abuse. Because of the large volume of suspected cases of child abuse a system of priorisation must be applied. In some cases an immediate initial assessment is undertaken, following which a decision may be made to place the referral on a waiting list. However, children who are in immediate need of protection will receive an immediate response.

The procedures followed by health boards in following up alleged cases of child abuse are in accordance with the 1987 child abuse guidelines issued by my Department and the 1995 procedures for the notification of suspected cases of child abuse between health boards and Garda. The vast majority of child abuse and neglect cases are assessed and investigated in the context of a social and medical assessment process. This can be complex and long-term, depending on the nature of the specific case, the trauma suffered by victims of such abuse, and the long-term implications of any intervention and support.

I wish to advise the Deputy that I have recently established a working group to review the existing guidelines and to prepare revised guidelines aimed at improving the identification, investigation and management of child abuse. The working group which is representative of all the relevant interested parties held its first meeting in March and is due to report by February 1999.

Waiting lists are not an accurate measure of need. They do not provide any systematic objective information about the nature of the cases. Providing extra resources solely to reduce waiting lists, without any systematic reviews or system of prioritisation, does not achieve a more efficient management of resources.