Referrals to child protection services up by a quarter in 2012

Referrals to the child protection services were up by nearly a quarter last year, Taoiseach Enda Kenny said yesterday.

The increased awareness generated by the children first guidelines had resulted in the increase, he added.

It had put a huge strain on services already under pressure and Minister for Children Frances Fitzgerald was working hard to address the issue.

“Right now, as Irish professionals will know, work is under way to finalise the Children First Bill,’’ he said. “As set out in the guidelines, this will both demand and guarantee best practice of every professional involved in child protection.’’

He said the pilot of the national audit of neglect cases, published in June, showed there was a great reporting of child neglect.

"Evil persists"
Mr Kenny, who was opening the 13th European Regional International Society for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect conference in Dublin, said child abuse had not gone away.

“It is the lingering dark stain on the rich fabric of our humanity,’’ he added. “It is an evil which persists.’’

Mr Kenny noted Ireland had close on 20 major reports on child abuse investigations since the 1980s.

He said that over the past decade, country after country across the globe had found themselves having to face up to such scandals.

“Many of these have been institutional,’’ he added. “The church, religious orders, sports organisations and the entertainment industry.’’

Abuse through neglect
Mr Kenny said neglect was now the most common type of abuse of children.

“Picture a child going to school in the rain without a winter coat, in damp, dirty clothes having not had a breakfast,’’ he said.

“Going home with no guarantee of dinner to a cold house, not a home.’’

For such children, he said, loving care was a luxury. “They just want care, basic care,’’ he added. “But for many, it does not happen.’’

The Taoiseach said that the World Health Organisation estimated that every year 40 million children were subject to child abuse. "We have failed far too many children, huge numbers of our youngest and most vulnerable,'' he added. "We know this and we know we cannot just do better… we must do our best.''

Mr Kenny said Ireland had changed the Constitution so that it could take better care of children and families. He added that new standards of child protection had been introduced with local social work teams being subjected to independent inspections for the first time.

Over 700 international experts are attending the conference which continues until Wednesday.