Neale Richmond (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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664. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if his attention has been drawn to an initiative (details supplied) which aims to reduce the levels of child abuse by 70% by 2030 in the UK; his views on whether a similar goal could be established in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34077/22]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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My Department is aware of the 70/30 Campaign initiated by a UK wide network of individuals, organisations and elected representatives working together to reduce child abuse, neglect and other adverse childhood experiences by at least 70% by the year 2030. The 70/30 Campaign target as referenced by the Deputy is believed achievable with the appropriate policies, actions and funding supports.

In Ireland, Better Outcomes, Brighter Futures: the National Policy Framework for children and young people 2014-2020 established a set of five national outcomes, for children and young people which all government departments and agencies, statutory services and the community and voluntary worked towards, to ensure a coherent response for children and young people.  One of these five national outcomes is that of ‘safe and protected from harm’. A final annual report for 2020 was published in January 2022, along with updates to the policy framework indicator set, which tracks progress across the five national outcomes. The indicator set report showed a decrease in the number of children classified as ‘at ongoing risk of significant harm and in need of a child protection plan’, between 2015 and 2020, as well as a decrease in the percentage of open cases awaiting allocation of a social worker between 2014 and 2020.  These five national outcomes will be retained in the next national policy framework for children and young people which is now being developed, and which will cover the period 2023-2028.

First 5, A Whole-of -Government Strategy for Babies, Young Children and their Families 2019-2028 contains a range of actions to improve the lives of babies, young children and their families. It is a ten-year plan to help make sure all children have positive early experiences and get a great start in life.

Furthermore, the What Works initiative led by my Department, with funding from Dormant Accounts, supports a move towards evidence informed prevention and early intervention services for children, young people and their families.

Quantifying the levels of child abuse in a country is not straightforward and different countries adopt different approaches.

In most countries child protection referral or substantiation data is used as some indication of the level of child abuse but it is widely recognised that this is not reflective of the prevalence of child abuse. Estimates would suggest that upwards of 50% of child abuse victims do not come to the attention of child protection agencies.

A new sexual violence survey is planned, which will be undertaken by the Central Statistics Office, and will for the first time provide statistics on the prevalence of sexual violence in Ireland.