Ombudsman for Children Emily Logan has called for a review of child protection services following concern over the way authorities are handling reports of child abuse.
Ms Logan was speaking at an Oireachtas committee yesterday where she presented a report on complaints her office has received about child protection services.
The 61 complaints received since her office opened in April 2004 highlight a range of issues such as delays in investigating complaints, difficulties in accessing services, regional inconsistencies in responding to abuse allegations, lack of support after disclosures of abuse are made, and a general lack of awareness of child protection services.
Ms Logan said that while the report did not attempt to give an overview of child abuse in the State, the complaints indicated concerns about the way abuse claims were handled by authorities.
"We, as a society, must take seriously the task of protecting children from abuse and provide appropriately for those who have been abused. My role is to give a voice to those children and young people who have or who are experiencing abuse and to make sure effective action is taken to protect them," she said.
"In compiling and submitting this report to the committee my aim is to highlight the main issues of concern brought to my office by complainants, to give an opportunity to the relevant authority to benefit from that learning and to bring positive change for any child who may need child protection services."
She said that while Minister of State for Children Brian Lenihan had announced a review of the national guidelines on child protection, a more comprehensive evaluation of child protection services offered by health authorities was needed.
"Anything less than a comprehensive review of child protection policy, practice and procedure will fall short of what is required to put things right."
She welcomed plans by Mr Lenihan for a nationwide awareness campaign on child sexual abuse, but said this needed to be broadened to include all forms of child abuse, such as physical and emotional abuse.
Any review should involve children and young people and also deal with the lack of knowledge over what happens once an abuse claim is made, she said.
