Child Safeguarding
CIH believes that all children should have the opportunity to grow, learn and develop in an environment which is not only free from harm but also actively seeks to support and protect them.
CIH commits to ensuring that the children with whom it works with are kept safe from harm while they are availing of its services.
The child protection policy for the organisation outlines the procedures for dealing with incidents and making reports, as well as procedures for the investigation of an allegation against a staff member or a volunteer.
Click here for a full version of the Child Welfare and Safeguarding Policy and Click here for the CIH Child Safeguarding Statement.
Reporting a Concern:
- Where a Children in Hospital Ireland staff member or volunteer becomes aware of a child welfare or safeguarding concern in the course of his or her work with the organisation, that concern should always be brought to the attention of the Designated Liaison Person (DLP), Elizabeth Morrin.
- A Children in Hospital Ireland volunteer or worker who wishes to report a concern to the DLP should complete a Children in Hospital Ireland Incident Report Form, giving details of the incident or situation observed or the concern which has arisen.
- The DLP will discuss the concern with the worker or volunteer.
- If the DLP decides that reasonable grounds for concern exist, she will make a report to the statutory authorities on the Standard Report Form.
- If an issue arises in the hospital setting which gives cause for immediate concern regarding the welfare of a child, the Children in Hospital Ireland staff member or volunteer should report this concern to a health professional in the hospital at the time of the event.
- The hospital staff will require the Children in Hospital Ireland volunteer or staff member to complete a report form, giving details of the concern.
- The volunteer or staff member should also inform the DLP of Children in Hospital Ireland as soon as possible.
- The DLP will contact the hospital and if it is decided that reasonable grounds for concern exist, a report will be made to Tusla using the Standard Report Form. This may be done directly by Children in Hospital Ireland or jointly with the hospital DLP.
- In all cases where it is decided that a report will be made to the statutory authorities, the DLP should inform the parents or guardians, unless doing so may further endanger the child or represent a risk to the person considering making the report.
- Where it has been decided that the matter does not constitute reasonable grounds for concern and a report is not to be made to Tusla, Children in Hospital Ireland will inform the person who raised the concern that it has been decided not to report and will let them know, in writing, the reasons for this decision.
- The person who raised the concern will be advised that they may make the report directly to Tusla themselves if they are still concerned and that, in so doing, they are protected under the Protection for Persons Reporting Child Abuse Act, 1998.
- Contact details for the local Tusla team can be found on the Tusla website (tusla.ie).
- The initial Children in Hospital Ireland Incident Report Form will be retained by Children in Hospital Ireland in a secure location and in line with the requirements of its Data Protection Policy.
Click here for the Reporting Process Diagram.
Incident Reporting:
- Whilst volunteering in a hospital environment, a volunteer can encounter and witness accidents, injuries or child protection and safe-guarding concerns and it is important to report all such incidents.
- Children in Hospital Ireland (CIH) takes every necessary step to ensure the safety and welfare of all children with whom it works with.
- Most of its work with children takes place in a hospital setting and therefore the organisation has a dual reporting procedure whereby a CIH volunteer or staff member who has a concern regarding the safety or welfare of a child will report that concern to the relevant hospital staff and also to the Children in Hospital Ireland Volunteer Manager who is the Designated Liaison Person (DLP) for the organisation.
- Where a staff member or volunteer is uncertain about reporting a concern, they should always seek advice from CIH’s DLP.
- In reporting concerns relating to child protection and welfare, all CIH’s staff and volunteers must remember that the key consideration is the welfare and safety of the child and this takes precedence over any other considerations.
- It must also be remembered that the responsibility to report child protection and welfare concerns belongs to everyone who works with children and their families; it should never be assumed that someone else will report the concern or allegation.
Click here for the Incident Reporting Form