GROUPS WORKING with vulnerable children have welcomed plans by the Ombudsman for Children to investigate the implementation of national guidelines on child protection.
However they have also called for the guidelines to be put on a statutory footing, saying that until this is done child protection will not be prioritised as it should.
Emily Logan said her investigation would focus on the Health Services Executive (HSE) and the Department of Health and Children. The former is the statutory agency responsible for the implementation of the Children First Guidelines. The department is responsible for monitoring them.
The guidelines, adopted in 1999, oblige the HSE to operate its services in a way that complies with their basic aims and objectives.
A statement from the ombudsman's office said information had emerged through its own inquiries which raised "serious concerns".
"Coupled with the ongoing concerns about child protection previously raised by the Ombudsman for Children and the disturbing results of a recently published review undertaken by the Office of the Minister for Children, the ombudsman has decided to launch an independent, systematic, national investigation into the operation of Children First."
Ms Logan said it was important to stress that no conclusions had been reached but she was concerned that, as the guidelines were non-statutory, there could be partial or even non-implementation of them by the HSE.
Children's charity Barnardos has welcomed Ms Logan's move.Caroline O'Sullivan, of the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, called for the guidelines to be put on a statutory footing.
