Vol. 529 No. 3
42 Mr. McGinley asked the Minister for Education and Science if there is an official policy in his Department to protect school children from paedophiles; if so, the nature of this programme; if it is implemented in all schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2705/01]
Two measures have been in place since 1991 to address child protection and child abuse prevention in schools. From a management perspective, guidelines entitled Procedures for Dealing with Allegations or Suspicions of Child Abuse were circulated to primary and post-primary schools in 1991-92. Between 1991-93, the child abuse prevention programme, Stay Safe, was introduced to primary schools. Stay Safe is a personal safety skills programme designed to help prevent all forms of child victimisation. A one day training course was provided for all primary teachers during that time. A total of 98.5% of schools availed of the training provided and 74% of schools currently implement the Stay Safe programme. My Department continues to support the activities of the child abuse prevention pro gramme office, which include in-service training for teachers, parent education programmes and the updating of resource materials.
In the broader context, personal safety and protection has been included in the curriculum area, social, personal and health education, as part of the revised primary school curriculum 1999 and in the junior cycle syllabus, which is being introduced to all post-primary schools on a phased basis since September 2000. The relationships and sexuality education curriculum, which was disseminated to primary and post-primary schools in 1996, also includes issues of personal safety. Through this work, children and young people are made aware of potentially dangerous situations and are given the opportunity to explore strategies and develop skills that can be used to help protect themselves and others.
The Department of Health and Children published new national guidelines for the protection and welfare of children, Children First, in September 1999. These guidelines are an important step in strengthening arrangements for the protection of children. The Children First guidelines place an onus on statutory and voluntary-community organisations to draw up local guidelines to complement Children First and to make them as effective and meaningful as possible.
As a follow-up to the Children First guidelines my Department will shortly be issuing new child protection guidelines and procedures to all primary schools. These child protection guidelines and procedures have been developed following an extensive consultation and discussion process with the partners in education and a representative from the health boards. It is intended that these new child protection guidelines and procedures will be issued to primary schools in a set that would also contain a copy of Children First.
These child protection guidelines and procedures will replace the guidelines entitled Procedures for Dealing with Allegations or Suspicions of Child Abuse which issued to all schools in 1991-92. They are based on the Children First guidelines but have been specifically developed with the primary school setting in mind. The intention of the new guidelines and procedures is to assist, and give direction and guidance to all school management authorities and school personnel in identifying, reporting and dealing with allegations-suspicions of child abuse.
While these guidelines are aimed at the primary school sector, they will be used as a basis for agreeing similar guidelines in the postprimary sector.
