Child Protection and Welfare
Please refer to Child Protection and Welfare section of the Tusla Website for information on Child Protection and Welfare Policy and Practice, Guidelines for Developing a Child Protection Policy and information on Reporting Concerns. We have linked some of this information below.
Children First E-Learning Programme
Tusla has worked with the DCYA and HSE to developed a universal e-learning programme called ‘Introduction to Children First’. The programme has been written to support people of all backgrounds and experience in recognising concerns about children and reporting such concerns if they arise.
The E Learning Children First Programme can be accessed through the following link:
https://www.tusla.ie/children-first/children-first-e-learning-programme/
Within Cavan County Childcare Committee, Alice McMahon is responsible for delivering this training.
Cavan CCC deliver the Always Children First training and it aims to create an awareness of Child Protection and Welfare issues in the Early Years sector. The aim of the training is to help participants understand how to safeguard children and report Child Protection and Welfare concerns. The full Enactment of the Children First Act (2015) has resulted in significant changes for those employed in the Early Years Sector. With a legal responsibility for organisations to have a Child Safeguarding Statement in place and the identification of those employed in Early Years Services as Mandated Persons, the Always Children First Foundation Module has been updated to reflect these and other important changes. The updated module is aimed at Early Years Providers and in particular, to Designated Liaison Persons (DLP) and Deputy Designated Liaison Persons (DDLP). A prerequisite of attending this training is that participants have completed the Tusla E Learning Children First Programme and CCC’s will ask that participants send a copy of their cert to the CCC prior to attending the training.
Child safeguarding Statement
https://www.tusla.ie/children-first/organisations/what-is-a-child-safeguarding-statement/
Following the enactment of the Children First Act 2015, all providers of relevant services to children are required to have a Child Safeguarding Statement (Statement) in place.
The Statement sets out the potential risks that a service poses to a child, and the policies and procedures they have in place to reduce those risks.
The CSSCU is the dedicated Unit set up in Tusla to ensure that all providers’ Statements are compliant with the requirements of the 10-13 of the 2015 Act, its enforcement and are solely responsible for maintaining the Register of Non-Compliance
Health and Safety in Early Years Services
Below are links to a number of Health and Safety publications which are relevant to the operating of an Early Years (Childcare) Service.