Written answers

Thursday, 10 July 2008

Department of Education and Science

Stay Safe Programme

4:00 pm

Photo of Brian HayesBrian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 656: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the progress made in relation to the programme for Government proposal to require all primary schools to implement the Stay Safe child abuse protection programme. [28705/08]

Photo of Batt O'KeeffeBatt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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'Stay Safe' is a four stage approach to preventing child abuse involving: children's safety education; teacher training; parent education; and community awareness.

The Programme aims to give children the skills necessary to enable them to recognise and resist abuse/victimisation and teaches them that they should always tell (an adult that can help) of any situation which they find unsafe, upsetting, threatening, dangerous or abusive. 'Stay Safe' is a personal safety skills programme which can be used with Primary school children from Senior Infants to Sixth Class. It seeks to enhance children's self protective skills by participating in lessons on safe and unsafe situations, bullying, touches, secrets, telling and strangers.

Results of a survey on the uptake of Stay Safe carried out by the Child Abuse Prevention Programme (CAPP) and my Department in 2006 showed that at that time:

2,514 schools (84.19%) were providing the programme

472 (15.81%) were not providing the programme, and

263 schools (8.8%) of respondents) were not teaching the sections on inappropriate sexual contact and secrecy.

Of the 472 schools that were not teaching stay safe, 240 (8.0% of respondents) reported that child abuse prevention was covered as part of the curriculum.

Following this survey my Department has been taking a targeted approach to the provision of training.

Two additional primary school teachers were seconded to CAPP in September 2007 to assist with this training which is being directed at those schools that had indicated they are not implementing the programme.

In the 2007/2008 school year CAPP has provided training to approximately 615 schools, over 5,000 teachers and 1,100 special needs assistants.

In addition to this targeted training, CAPP continues to provide in-service training and support to all primary schools on request.

It should also be noted that my Department sent a Circular on Child Protection and Procedures for Primary Schools (Primary 0061/2006) to the Chairperson and Principals of all primary schools. This draws attention to the crucial importance of schools following closely the Child Protection Guidelines and Procedures which are based on the Children First national guidelines issued by the Department of Health and Children and specifically adapted to cater for primary school settings.

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