A new government plan to improve the quality of child protection services in Ireland has been welcomed by one teaching union.

As part of the Children First 2011 scheme, announced last week by Children and Youth Affairs Minister Frances Fitzgerald, guidance has been offered to organisations on what they need to do to ensure children in their care are kept safe.

This initiative was welcomed by Sheila Nunan, general-secretary of the Irish National Teachers' Organisation, who said training in the new procedures must be issued to all educators.

The new guidelines will replace those that have been in place since 2001 which Ms Nunan said needed to be revised in light of experience gained over the past decade.

She called for child protection measures to be standardised throughout the country, including timely responses to referrals from schools and making follow-ups more effective.

Ms Nunan added that the announcement paves the way for revised child protection policies for schools to be implemented, something she expects to take place early in the next school year.

Written by Donal Walsh
 

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