Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)

In July, I launched the revised Children First: National Guidelines for the Protection and Welfare of Children. The guidelines deal with the recognition, reporting and management of child safety concerns. They emphasise the need to safeguard and protect children, that the safety and welfare of children are everyone's responsibility and that children will have safer lives where everyone is attentive to their well being. People who work with children across a range of areas must be clear in understanding their responsibility for safe practice and the reporting of concerns.

It is important to recognise that the original Children First guidelines have been in place for more than a decade. In that period, they have been used by the key agencies and their staff involved in the care and protection of children.

The Government has committed as a priority to the introduction of legislation to underpin Children First. It is my intention that the legislation will reflect a broad-based approach to compliance with obligations extending beyond reporting to one of safeguarding children at risk. The objective will be to ensure the greater protection of children by strengthening the existing system for reporting and responding to suspected child abuse.

It should be noted that the HSE as the statutory body responsible for promoting the welfare of children has in place a network of personnel to provide training, information and advice on the implementation of Children First. The HSE is providing a programme of information and training on the new guidance across the country. This includes the publication of the new child protection and welfare practice handbook, which was launched last week. The handbook will facilitate implementation of the Children First guidelines and achieve greater consistency in child protection practice throughout the HSE.

I am attending meetings with social work personnel and other staff in each of the four HSE regions to promote the Children First guidelines. We have already held two such meetings with an attendance of several hundred front line staff. The Garda also attends these meetings, reflecting the close working relationship it has developed over the years with the HSE in protecting children. Quite a deal of training is under way. This work has received a positive welcome and it is clear that the revised guidance enjoys widespread support, as I am sure the Deputy has found.

Additional information not given on the floor of the House

Beyond the HSE and the Garda Síochána, the Children First guidelines have been disseminated widely, including to every school. The consistent implementation of the guidelines in every sector is a priority. My Department is chairing an interdepartmental committee to oversee implementation of the guidance across Government. I will be meeting this committee in early October.

As to staffing resources, the number of social workers was increased in 2010 by 200. This additional resource will be of particular assistance to the HSE in driving forward the process of implementation. The necessary funding has been provided to the HSE to complete the recruitment of an additional 60 social workers by year end. The House will be aware that the Ryan report implementation plan contained commitments to place Children First on a statutory basis and to recruit an additional 270 social workers. By the end of this year, some 260 of these social workers will have been recruited and, together with the detailed implementation process for the revised guidelines, I am confident that these actions will provide a sound basis for Children First on a statutory footing.

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