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Child Protection

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 25 October 2012

Thursday, 25 October 2012

Questions (20)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

20. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will indicate based on experience in the course of the past ten years, the extent to which child protection facilities, services and structures have actually failed to provide for the protection of children, often resulting in serious deprivation or abuse; if arising from this appraisal she intends to introduce legislation to address the issues arising; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46766/12]

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Written answers

The last decade has seen a growing awareness of the fact of child abuse and neglect and its damning impact on the lives children through-out their adult lives. As a society we know that all families need informal supports and that some families in particular need specific supports to care for their children safely and adequately. We have learned through hard lessons that all services that work with children, in particular our child protection services, need to be constantly alert to children’s safety and welfare and that in some instances parents may do their upmost to deceive professionals.

The Children First National Guidance for the Protection and Welfare of Children, which I published in 2011, provides clarity and guidance for individuals and organisations in identifying and responding appropriately to child abuse and neglect. It also sets out what organisations that care for or work with children should do to ensure they are safe whilst in the care of the organisation. The Government has committed, as a priority, to the introduction of legislation to underpin Children First. The Deputy will be aware that I published the Heads of the Children First Bill in April 2012. The purpose of the Bill is to ensure that organisations and professionals who work with children have a statutory responsibility to report reasonable concerns about the abuse or neglect of children in their care to the HSE Child and Family Services.

I asked the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children to consider the Heads of the Children First Bill and make recommendations. I received their comprehensive Report in July and I thank the Committee for its work on this matter. My Department is currently considering the broad range of submissions to, and recommendations of the Joint Committee.

HIQA have been provided with additional staff resources to inspect and report on the standard of the HSE's child protection services. These inspections are due to commence shortly.

The commitment to establish a new Child and Family Support Agency is at the heart of the Government's reform of child and family services. The establishment of a single agency, underpinned by legislation and incorporating key children and family services, will provide a focus for the major reforms already underway under the National Director for Children and Families, Gordon Jeyes. The necessary legislation is being prepared by my Department as a priority and it is anticipated that the Bill will be published and enacted in the course of this Dáil session. It is my intention that the Child and Family Support Agency will assume statutory responsibility for services for children and families in January 2013.

The new Agency will assume responsibility for Children and Family Services, currently provided by the HSE, and the Family Support Agency. It will have a workforce of approximately 4,000 staff, and a combined existing budget of over €590 million. The Agency will be headed by Gordon Jeyes, as the Chief Executive designate, who will be supported by a senior management team.

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