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Child Protection Procedures in Schools
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Updated Notice 22 July 2021: Tusla Portal
The Department has been advised by Tusla that the Tulsa Online Portal for reporting child protection concerns is once again operational. If you wish to contact Tusla directly to discuss a child protection concern the most up-to-date numbers can be found at https://www.tusla.ie/get-in-touch/local-area-offices/ . You can also contact the Tusla head office at (01)771-8500.
You can download the Child Protection and Welfare Report Form from the Tusla website .
The Child Protection Procedures for Schools apply to all recognised primary and post-primary schools and to all members of school personnel.
Since the Child Protection Procedures for Primary and Post-Primary Schools ( revised 2023) were published, Tusla has developed and put in place a secure online portal for reporting child protection concerns. This portal now also allows the reporter to print a copy of the report submitted.
Accordingly, when reporting a concern to TUSLA under these procedures, the Tusla portal should be used wherever possible.
After the report has been submitted via the Tusla portal , a copy of the report must be printed and retained in accordance with the requirements of the procedures.
Further information in relation to the use of the portal is available at link
At each board of management meeting the principal shall present a Child Protection Oversight Report containing information under the 4 required headings.
If there are any cases to report under any of the headings, an in-person board of management meeting shall be convened to allow the CPOR to be provided, with no member joining the meeting by conference call or online. The CPOR shall not be provided at any board of management meeting that is held online or where the use of using a conference call may be required to facilitate a board meeting, except in circumstances where, since the last CPOR was provided to the board, there have been no cases arising under each of the headings set out in sections 9.5 to 9.7 inclusive of the procedures.
The following supporting documents/templates are available for schools to use in implementing the Child Protection Procedures. Some of these templates are mandatory to use and some are optional.
Mandatory template 1 is available in portrait or landscape layout. The content of each template is exactly the same and using either version will meet the requirements of the Child Protection Procedures.
Child Safeguarding Statement and Risk Assessment Template
Mandatory template 1
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Child Safeguarding Statement and Risk Assessment Template (Landscape version)
Mandatory Template 1 (Landscape version)
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Checklist for Review of the Child Safeguarding Statement
Mandatory Template 2
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Notification regarding the Board of Management’s review of the Child Safeguarding Statement
Mandatory Template 3
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Notification regarding the Board of Management’s review of the Child Safeguarding Statement (BF)
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The department has developed a number of optional templates that Schools can choose to use:
Record of how the allegation and/or concern came to be known to the DLP and record of DLP’s phone call seeking advice of Tusla (Sections 5.1.1 and 5.3.3)
Optional Template A
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Template statement from DLP to a member of school personnel as to the reasons why a report has not been made to Tusla (Section 5.3.8 of the Procedures)
Optional Template B
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Record of DLP informing or not informing a parent/carer that a report concerning his or her child is being made (Section 5.3.6 of the Procedures)
Optional Template C
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Template written notification from DLP to a parent where a child protection concern about a member of school personnel has been raised by a parent (Section 5.6.2 of the Procedures)
Optional Template D
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Template Check List for preparing the Principal’s Child Protection Oversight Report (CPOR)
Optional Template E
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Download
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Template for recording documents provided to the Board of Management as part of the CPOR
Optional Template F
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In addition, the department has also developed a number of supporting documents which schools may wish to refer to:
Guidance Note 1: The Board of Management Communications Checklist – Child Safeguarding Statement (Sections 8.11 and 8.13.6 of the Procedures)
Child protection support for schools
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Guidance Note 2: Child Protection Case file Checklist
Child protection support for school
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Download
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Guidance Note 3: The use of unique codes or serial numbers
Child protection support for school
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Download
View the file
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Guidance Note 4: Recording the Board’s Oversight of the child protection cases in its minutes
Child protection support for school
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Download
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FAQ in relation to the Principal’s Child Protection Oversight Report (CPOR)
Child protection support for schools
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Download
View the file
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The Guide to Child Protection and Safeguarding Inspections is available here .
General queries in relation to the Child Protection Procedures for Primary and Post-Primary Schools (revised 2023) should be e-mailed to the department at childprotection@education.gov.ie
- Child Protection in Schools
- Child Protection and Safeguarding Inspections
- Programme of CPD support for schools
- Children First: National Guidance for the Protection and Welfare of Children 2017
- Addendum to Children First: National Guidance for the Protection and Welfare of Children
- Children First Act 2015
- Tusla - Children First Publications and Forms
- Recent legislation in relation to child protection