Government approve revised Heads of Children First Bill – Fitzgerald

Frances Fitzgerald TD, Minister for Children & Youth Affairs has today announced that the Government has approved the revised Heads and General Scheme of the Children First Bill and has approved the drafting of this legislation by parliamentary counsel.

Minister Fitzgerald stated: “Since becoming Minister I have published revised Children First National Guidance, overseen an interdepartmental implementation process and prioritised the drafting of legislation to put Children First on a statutory footing, which is a key Programme for Government commitment.”

“Last year I published drafts head of this legislation. In line with the Government’s commitment to the reform of the parliamentary and legislative processes, I referred the draft Heads to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children. The Committee convened an extensive series of hearings on the bill and produced a comprehensive 600 page report. Since then My Department and I have carried out International research and held further consultations with experts and key stakeholders, including other relevant Departments and statutory agencies, to discuss and review the complex matters arising and the development of the final Bill.

I welcome today’s Cabinet approval of the revised Heads and General Scheme of the Children First Bill and the approval for drafting of this legislation by parliamentary counsel.”

The proposed Children First Bill will place obligations on professionals and organisations working with children to report suspected child protection concerns, to share information and to engage in inter-agency and multi-disciplinary working.

In parallel with the development of legislative proposals to put Children First on a statutory footing, significant work has been undertaken by Minister Fitzgerald and her Department to achieve full and consistent implementation of the revised Children First Guidance. Implementation measures progressed to date include:
• Publication and dissemination by the HSE of a ‘Child Protection and Welfare Practice Handbook’;
• Training for front-line professional, including joint- training between Gardai and social workers;
• Establishment a Children First Implementation Inter-Departmental Group to bring central government oversight to the implementation process; and
• The approval last week by Government for the publication of Children First Sectoral Implementation Plans by relevant Departments on their websites.