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Child protection procedures in schools
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The Department of Education is responsible for developing and implementing child protection procedures for schools based on the Children First: National Guidance for the Protection and Welfare of Children 2017.
The Child Protection Procedures for Primary and Post-Primary Schools 2017 aims to give direction to school management and staff regarding the identification of and response to child protection concerns and the process for continued support of the child.
When conducting a whole school evaluation, department inspectors check that a school is complying with the requirements of the Child Protection Procedures for Primary and Post-Primary Schools 2017. Where an inspector identifies deficiencies in relation to the Child Protection Procedures for Primary and Post-Primary Schools 2017 he/she will immediately bring this to the attention of school management.
Any deficiency is considered by the department as serious and school management will be advised that the issues identified should be addressed without delay. Where a subsequent recommendation is made in a publishable report, the inspector will inform school management that the department expects the board to use the school response form to confirm that the issues have been addressed.
Supporting documents and templates for schools are available at: Child Protection Procedures in Schools.
On 31 March 2023 the Department published Child Protection and Safeguarding Procedures for Boarding Facilities associated with Recognised Schools 2023 to inform the management of all boarding facilities of what is required of them in their implementation of the Children First Act 2015 and to ensure that arrangements for the oversight of the requirements of the Children First Act 2015, including Children First: National Guidelines for the Protection and Welfare of Children 2017, are in place across all boarding facilities.
The Guide to Child Protection and Safeguarding Inspection in Boarding Facilities associated with Recognised Schools 2023 sets out how we conduct Child Protection and Safeguarding Inspection in Boarding Facilities associated with Recognised Schools and is effective from April 2023.
The Department would like to draw your attention to the following online training resource that Tusla has made available for mandated persons. This resource provides information about the roles and responsibilities of mandated persons. The Department would encourage all mandated persons to access this resource at their convenience. Please see the following link .