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The Child Protection Programme (formerly known as the Child Protection Unit) was established in late 2004 as part of the implementation of the National Youth Work Development Plan.
The Child Protection Programme works primarily with youth work organisations and others in assessing and addressing the child protection needs of the youth work sector.

Welcome

The Child Protection Programme is based in the National Youth Council of Ireland and is funded by the Department of Children and Youth Affairs.

Our approach to this work includes:

  • Building the capacity of youth organisations to safeguard and protect their children and young people.
  • Developing and delivering child protection trainings to staff and volunteers at  all levels of responsibility in a youth work organisation.
  • Providing access for small youth work organisations to the Garda Vetting Unit through membership of the Youth Work Garda Vetting Consortium.
  • Advocating on behalf of the youth work sector for measures which safeguard and protect children and young people .

 

Children First: National Guidance for the Protection and Welfare of Children, 2011, states clearly that:

“All organisations involved with children have an obligation to provide them with the highest possible standard of care in order to promote their well being and safeguard them from abuse”.  - CF 4.7.1

 

The Child Protection Programme Team

National Child Protection Manager: Olive Ring  (olive@nyci.ie)

Garda Vetting Administrator : Geraldine Mahon (geraldine@nyci.ie)

Children First Bill

The National Youth Council of Ireland (NYCI) was invited to present to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children in April 2012 to respond to the Heads of the Children First Bill published by Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Frances Fitzgerald.
 

NYCI raised a number of issues about the implications of the Bill, in particular for those who work in the youth work sector, including:

  • The importance of clarity around reporting thresholds
  • Provision for volunteers and affiliated groups or regionally structured organisations
  • Linking of forthcoming Garda vetting legislation

Download full text of presentation to the Oireachtas Committee. (PDF)

This presentation was followed up with a more comprehensive Submission to the Department of Children and Youth Affairs on the bill.

Download NYCI's Final Submission on the Children First Bill (PDF)