Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 8 Apr 2003

Vol. 564 No. 5

Written Answers - Community and Voluntary Groups.

Olivia Mitchell

Question:

253 Ms O. Mitchell asked the Minister for Health and Children the position in respect of the child care recruitment practices for voluntary and community groups and specifically if Garda clearance is a requirement as it is under the guidelines which apply to health board workers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9450/03]

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

Guidelines on the recruitment and selection of staff in children's residential centres were issued by my Department in November 1994. Under these guidelines employers must obtain Garda clearance on all staff being considered for appointment to a children's residential centre. In September 1995 these were extended to the recruitment of staff to any area of the health services where they would have substantial access to children and vulnerable individuals including, where appropriate, external agencies funded by the health boards to provide services in respect of children and vulnerable adults. The guidelines also stress the importance of employers validating information supplied by candidates and verifying references pro-actively.

Children First: National Guidelines for the Protection and Welfare of Children recognises the need to support community and voluntary groups develop best practice in their dealings with children. A document entitled Our Duty to Care was published in April 2002. It is based on Children First and on Northern Ireland's Our Duty To Care document and is available to all groups. Essentially it promotes good practice and procedures for organisations dealing with children and consists of a booklet and factsheets covering areas such as safe recruitment practice, developing safe management practices and policies and raising awareness of child abuse among volunteers and staff. It also provides advice on how to report concerns to the health boards. This is an extremely useful tool for voluntary organisations.

Our Duty to Care gives guidance and suggested procedures for developing safe recruitment practices. The following key processes should be included in an organisation's recruitment procedures: clear definition of role of employees or volunteers; an application form with a clear job description and information about the organisation should be supplied; all applicants should be required to sign a declaration stating that there is no reason they would be unsuitable to work with young people and declaring past criminal convictions or cases pending against them. The organisation must have a clear policy regarding the type of factors that would exclude applicants; all applicants should be interviewed by a panel comprising of at least two representatives of the organisations; an applicant should be expected to supply the names of two referees, not family members, who will testify to their character and their suitability for the role of employee-volunteer. An acceptable reference will indicate that the person is known to the referee and is considered suitable by them to work with young people. All references should be received in writing and later confirmed by telephone, letter or personal visit; and the organisation should ensure that the identity of the applicant is confirmed against some documentation which gives his or her full name, address together with a signature or photograph.

My colleague the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Deputy McDowell, has informed me that it was envisaged that when the central vetting unit became operational and all its backlogs were cleared that a phased extension of the clearance arrangements to other groups, such as voluntary and community groups, would take place. To this end the Garda Commissioner has established a working group to examine the issue. It will take account of all aspects of the vetting of persons coming in contact with children and vulnerable persons. At present its work is ongoing.