Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein)
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98. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality her plans to ensure all direct provision centres throughout the State are meeting child protection standards; the frequency with which inspections are carried out on average; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31574/16]

David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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All children living in direct provision accommodation are in the company of their parents or legal guardians - there are no unaccompanied minors in direct provision accommodation as they are the legal responsibility of Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. These parents and guardians have the primary responsibility for the care and welfare of their children who reside with them and in that respect the safety of all residents – especially children – is at the forefront of the Reception and Integration Agency's (RIA's) operations. RIA affords the highest priority to the safeguarding and protection of children and is fully compliant with all relevant legislative requirements. The staffing allocation of the Child and Family Services Unit in RIA includes a suitably qualified secondment post from Tusla and the role of the unit is to plan, manage, deliver, coordinate and monitor all matters relating to child and family services for all residents in the direct provision system, including of course child protection services which are covered by RIA's Child Protection and Welfare Policy.

This policy is based on the Department of Children and Youth Affairs' “Children First- National Guidance for the Protection and Welfare of Children”. This guidance document was developed to assist people in identifying and reporting child abuse and welfare concerns. The protection and welfare policy emphasises that the needs of children and families must be central to child care, child protection and welfare. RIA's policy was reviewed and updated in 2014 and now contains a practice document to make it more user friendly. This document is published on RIA's website www.ria.gov.ie.

The role of the officer from TUSLA includes visits to all accommodation centres on a regular basis to meet with parents and centre managers and staff and to oversee the implementation of the Child Protection and Welfare Policy.

Each accommodation centre has a designated Child Protection Liaison Person who has undertaken Children First – Keeping Safe Training. When a child protection or welfare incident arises in a RIA centre it is the function of that Liaison Person to contact the local Social Work Team to inform it of his or her concern and to liaise with the RIA Child and Family Services Unit. It is important to note that child welfare services are mainstreamed for children in direct provision and are provided on the same basis as for children living elsewhere in the community.

RIA's Child Protection and Welfare Policy complements other child related policies and procedures in place, viz:

- Garda Vetting Policy - all staff in centres under contract to RIA are Garda vetted.

- RIA Policy and Practice Document on safeguarding RIA residents against Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence & Harassment.

- RIA Code of Practice for Persons Working in Accommodation Centres and RIA Staff.

- Policy on Accommodation of Aged Out Minors in RIA Accommodation Centres.