Billy Timmins (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Question 14: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the structures in her Department to oversee the extent to which the social services operated by the Health Service Executive are properly and fully implementing the child protection guidelines of 1999; and if she is satisfied with the performance of the HSE in this regard to date. [20654/09]

Barry Andrews (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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Children First – the National Guidelines for the Protection and Welfare of Children 1999 are the national over-arching guidelines that apply to all individuals and agencies that are dealing with children. They are intended to support and guide health professionals, teachers, and members of the Garda Síochána and the many people in sporting, cultural, community and voluntary organisations who come into regular contact with children. The key message of the Children First Guidelines is that responsibility for protecting children must be shared by all adults. Anyone who works with, has responsibility for, or comes into contact with, children should be aware of the signs of abuse, be alert to the possibility of abuse, and be familiar with the basic procedures to report their concerns.

As the Deputy will be aware, in July of last year I launched the National Review of Compliance with Children First. The key finding of that review conducted by my office is that the Guidelines themselves are fundamentally sound and a renewed focus on implementation is required.

In order to ensure consistent national application of the Guidelines the HSE is currently standardising it's child welfare and protection business processes. This is expected to be completed in 2009. The HSE is also working to achieve a refocusing of social work services through the ongoing Social Work Reform programme.

Among the significant successes achieved since the publication of the Children First guidelines has been the work carried out by the HSE Children First Information and Advice Officers in facilitating inter-agency work and supporting voluntary and community agencies to develop child protection policies and practices. Over the past twelve months the HSE has launched several child protection initiatives including the public awareness campaign- Parents Who Listen Protect -with a second phase of this initiative to be rolled out shortly.

I am working closely with the HSE in relation to the developments outlined above. I chair regular meetings with senior management of the HSE which enables me to raise specific child welfare and protection issues and to monitor the ongoing developments and progress in this area. The provision of appropriate robust and responsive child welfare and protection services is a key priority for both myself, as Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, and the Government.