The heads of the Children First Bill 2012 was published by the Irish government on 26 April 2012. The Bill will see Children First Guidance placed on a statutory footing, meaning changes to the area of child protection in Ireland. The legislation will stipulate that there is an onus on every person who interacts with children to take their role and responsibilities seriously and it places a positive obligation on individuals to report allegations of child abuse.
Under the new legislation, all organisations where children are in attendance without their parents will have to meet legal requirements to ensure a safe environment for children. There will be “designated officers” within each organisation who will be primarily responsible for ensuring that all staff and volunteers are trained to recognise the signs of abuse and neglect. Minister Frances Fitzgerald commented “child protection is everyone’s responsibility. Everyone. Every club, society, organisation, religious organisation, educational establishment and medical facility that works with children.” In addition, the legislation will also make it a criminal offence for someone to withhold information to the Garda which would assist in prosecuting a person who commits a serious offence.
Chief Executive of the Children’s Rights Alliance Tanya Ward commented “we look forward to the Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children’s consultation with NGOs and practitioners on the Bill which will ensure buy-in across the country. Children First has the potential to provide for a new era of child protection in Ireland, with State and voluntary agencies bound by a legal duty to report child abuse concerns, share relevant information and cooperate in the best interests of the child. Putting legislation in place will prove a gigantic step towards building a quality and comprehensive child protection system.”
The deadline for submissons on the Bill is Friday 11 May.
Click here to see a press release from the Children’s Rights Alliance.
Click here to see a press release from the Department of Children and Youth Affairs.