National Children First Awareness Week starts this week, here’s everything you need to know

NATIONAL CHILDREN FIRST Awareness Week aims to raise awareness and remind everyone in society about the importance of protecting children from abuse and neglect.

Running from 25 September to 1 October, the campaign is there to remind individuals and organisations, including those working or volunteering with children and young people, of our collective responsibility to keep children safe in our communities.

Children First promotes the safeguarding of children from abuse and neglect by detailing the steps that need to be taken by organisations and individuals to protect children and how to address concerns about a child’s safety or well-being.

The term ‘Children First’ refers to the National Guidance for the Protection and Welfare of Children 2017 and the Children First Act 2015.

With National Children First Awareness Week running this week, we’ve put together a guide of everything you need to know about the campaign along with links to useful resources for individuals and organisations.

What is National Children First Awareness Week?

National Children First Awareness Week serves as a timely reminder of the obligations that organisations and individuals have to protect the children and young people with whom they work.

Under the Children First National Guidance, all organisations and individuals involved in providing services or activities to children and young people should have child safeguarding policies and procedures in place to protect them from harm and promote their welfare. 

But a key focus of National Children First Awareness Week is on professionals and individuals who work or volunteer with children, as they are in a unique position to identify signs of abuse or neglect in various settings, such as homes, communities, or services. 

Although these responsibilities apply throughout the year, National Children First Awareness Week’s aim is to remind organisations of their obligations and responsibilities.

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Organisations or individuals working or volunteering with children and young people

All organisations or individuals working with children and young people should create a culture of safety that promotes the welfare of children and young people availing of their services.

These organisations and their staff and volunteers working with them have several responsibilities under Children First.

- Safeguarding best practice and statutory obligations

All organisations or individuals providing services or activities to children and young people should have child safeguarding policies and procedures in place to protect them from harm and promote their welfare. These include having policies and procedures on:

• Child safeguarding awareness and training,
• The reporting of child protection concerns.

Safeguarding best practice is described in more detail in the Children First National Guidance, which can be found here.

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Relevant Services under the Children First Act

Most organisations providing services or activities to children and young people are classified as ‘relevant services’ under the Children First Act 2015 and have specific statutory obligations, including a requirement to have a Child Safeguarding Statement in place.

- Statutory obligations of relevant services

The Children First Act 2015 imposes specific responsibilities on organisations serving children and young people.

These include ensuring the safety of children during their use of the service, conducting a risk assessment to identify the potential for harm, creating a Child Safeguarding Statement detailing their policies and procedures for managing identified risks, and designating a relevant person as the primary contact for the organisation’s Child Safeguarding Statement.

More information on what relevant services must do under the Children First Act and on safeguarding best practice for all organisations is available here.

- Child Safeguarding Statements

Organisations classified as providers of relevant services under the Children First Act 2015 must complete a risk assessment and develop a Child Safeguarding Statement.

This is a written statement that sets out the service provided and the policies and procedures in place to ensure, as much as possible, that a child or young person using the service is safe from harm.

Report a concern

If you have any concerns about a child or young person who you suspect is, or is at risk of being abused or neglected, it is essential to contact Tusla’s social work department.

In situations where there is an immediate and serious threat to a child or young person, you should contact An Garda Síochána.

See here for more information on how to make a report to Tusla.

National Children First Awareness Week runs from 25 September to 1 October. Find more information and resources at gov.ie/childrenfirst.