Government hails Children First Bill but campaigners request sanctions for non-compliance

By Noel Baker
Irish Examiner
April 15, 2014

http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/government-hails-children-first-bill-but-campaigners-request-sanctions-for-non-compliance-265401.html

By Noel Baker Senior Reporter

The Government yesterday hailed the publication of the long-awaited Children First Bill which, if made into law, will make it mandatory for professionals to report possible incidents of abuse.

However, anti-abuse campaigners and opposition deputies asked why there were no sanctions for those named professionals who failed to report abuse and neglect, with Fianna Fáil claiming it was a “U-turn”.

Among those who will be required to report alleged abuse under the terms of the bill are medical practitioners, registered nurses, teachers, social workers, gardaí, psychologists, members of the clergy, and pre- school child care staff.

The Government yesterday hailed the publication of the long-awaited Children First Bill which, if made into law, will make it mandatory for professionals to report possible incidents of abuse.

However, anti-abuse campaigners and opposition deputies asked why there were no sanctions for those named professionals who failed to report abuse and neglect, with Fianna Fáil claiming it was a “U-turn”.

Among those who will be required to report alleged abuse under the terms of the bill are medical practitioners, registered nurses, teachers, social workers, gardaí, psychologists, members of the clergy, and pre- school child care staff.

Child protection officers of religious, sporting, cultural, recreational, and educational organisations offering services to children will also be required to report any cases of harm, abuse, or neglect.

There are exemptions to the mandatory reporting proposals, namely any individual who “undertakes any work or activity in the course of a family relationship where the work or activity concerned is undertaken by the individual solely for the benefit of a child or other family member of that individual, [who] undertakes any work or activity in the course of a personal relationship for no commercial consideration, or [who] gives assistance on an occasional basis for no consideration at a school, sports or community event or activity”.

Children’s Minister Frances Fitzgerald said of the bill: “This brings an absolute clarity to the requirement to report abuse, to intervene if you’re aware a child is being abused.

“We are removing any real or perceived obstacles to certain professionals and post holders by placing a specific obligation on mandated persons to assist the agency in their assessment of risk to a child.

“We know that it is the combined efforts of professionals and post holders that keep children safe. Sharing information and collaborating in the assessment process is as critical as simply reporting, as the past tells us.”

The chairman of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children, Jerry Buttimer, said the publication of the bill was a “landmark day for child protection in Ireland”.

However, Maeve Lewis, CEO of support group One In Four, said that while the bill was welcome, there needed to be additional resources to support professionals in developing good child protection policies.

She said she also had another misgiving, telling RTÉ’s News At One programme: “Really, there are no sanctions in place for professionals who don’tadhere to the bill.”

Fianna Fáil’s spokesman Robert Troy said the lack of sanctions marked a “watering-down” of the bill. He said: “While professionals working with children will now be legally obliged to report concerns, it seems there will be no penalties if they don’t.

“This represents a significant U-turn by this Government.”

The bill also requires any mandated persons to assist the Child and Family Agency in the assessment of a child protection risk, if requested to do so by the agency, and requires organisations providing services to children to comply with best practice in child protection as set out in the Children First Guidelines and to produce an organisational-specific child safeguarding statement.