Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 22 October 2019
567. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the degree to which her Department or bodies under her aegis have had adequate resources, including social workers, to deal with issues such as bullying including cyberbullying; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43581/19]
View answerAll of society should be concerned with child welfare and protection and it is important that concerns are dealt with as and where they arise. The primary responsibility for protecting children rests with their parents but parents are supported in this role by a range of service providers, state agencies, schools and professionals working with children and young people.
There is a range of services available which can assist children and young people in coping with bullying situations for example:
www.webwise.ie - An initiative of the Department of Education and Skills – provides information on a range of internet safety issues and concerns and offers advice and support for young people, teachers and parents.
www.tacklebullying.ie - a national website to counter bullying and cyberbullying for young people, parents and teachers.
At a national and community level, youth organisations and voluntary youth services funded by my Department provide education programmes, run awareness campaigns about bullying and provide programmes for young people to give them the knowledge and skills to build supportive links and counter bullying behaviours. Specifically, my Department supports the National Youth Health Programme which is in partnership with the HSE and the National Youth Council of Ireland. The programme’s aims are to provide a broad-based, flexible health promotion / education support and training service to youth organisations and to all those working with young people in out-of school settings, and includes programmes aimed at exploring bullying and cyberbullying with young people.
A range of Government Departments and agencies have a role in relation to internet safety. In recognition of the whole of government approach required, in July 2018, the Taoiseach launched the Action Plan for Online Safety 2018-19. The Action Plan involves a wide range of actions, across six Government Departments – Communications, Climate Action and Environment; Education and Skills; Justice and Equality; Children and Youth Affairs; Health; and Business Enterprise and Innovation, recognising that online safety is not the responsibility of just one Department and signifying the range and breadth of the issues involved. A Sponsors Group, involving the six Departments and chaired by the Department of Education and Skills, has been established to drive implementation of the Action Plan.
As part of the Action Plan for Online Safety, my Department committed to amending the Children First Guidance to include a specific reference to the need to consider online safety in the completion of a Child Safeguarding Statement. An addendum to the Guidance, clarifying the need to consider online safety in the preparation of risk assessments and Child Safeguarding Statements, was finalised and published on my Department’s website in January. In addition, Tusla has revised its template for the completion of Child Safeguarding Statements to refer to the need to consider online risks to children if a service provides access to the internet.
