Child Care Law Reporting Project website is an important development in child safety

Fine Gael Senator Deirdre Clune is welcoming the launch of the new website of the Child Care Law Reporting Project – www.childlawproject.ie which was launched this week by Frances Fitzgerald TD, Minister for Children & Youth Affairs. The Child Care Law Reporting Project was established in 2012 and provides for anonymised reports on in-camera court proceedings relating to the Child Care Act and in the area of family law.

The website launched included the first 30 reports of cases observed and examined by the Project. This is an important development as it will allow the public to view the anonymised detail of child-care cases.

Every year in Ireland we have over 1,500 confirmed reports of abuse and serious neglect of children.

These reports give an important insight into the type of cases that the state deals with to ensure that children are protected. The courts play a vitally important role in the child protection and welfare system and the decisions of Judges have significant implications for service provision and children’s outcomes.

This will highlight the efforts of those who work with children in cases of neglect or abuse and the very valuable role that foster parents play in our society.

During the recent Children’s Rights Referendum which was accepted by the Irish people, a number of high profile cases of child abuse that had been detailed in court cases were referred to.

This latest development will provide a greater volume of information that will assist the State in its work of protecting the safety and welfare of vulnerable children