merrion street

The Minister for Children Frances Fitzgerald TD, today welcomed the publication by HIQA of draft Standards for the Protection and Welfare of Children for public consultation. The Standards are for the HSE Child and Family Welfare and Child Protection services.

The development of the Standards by HIQA was a key recommendation of the Ryan Implementation Plan. The Minister said ‘I am delighted to see further progress being made towards a more robust child protection system. The reforms introduced by this government are to ensure that children are safe, protected and cared for well. It is important to see these important standards, which focus on how the HSE social work and family support staff undertake their responsibilities are now available for public consultation’.

Following feedback from the public, HIQA will submit the Standards for approval by the Minister. HIQA have been allocated additional inspectors, who are currently undergoing training and plan to begin inspections of HSE child protection services later this year.

The Minister said that ‘The introduction of the Standards will ensure that the Children First Guidance, which say how concerns about child neglect and abuse should be dealt with, will be implemented consistently across the county. The Standards will assist the identification of strengths and weakness by managers and staff and will be inspected against by HIQA’.

The Minister went on to say that the forthcoming legislation to underpin Children First, the establishment of the new Child and Family Support Agency and the ongoing implementation of the recommendations from the Ryan Report are on target as agreed by Government to put in place a robust child protection service.