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THE TASOISEACH ENDA Kenny is today launching the new Child and Family Agency, which will bring child services into one centralised regime.
The agency will take over child protection from the Health Service Executive (HSE). Previously three separate agencies, the HSE, the Family Support Agency and the National Education Welfare Board were over the area of child welfare.
It will assume responsibility over these areas:
The Child and Family Agency will bring together over 4,000 staff and will have a budget of €609 million.
The national network will include 106 family resource centres on the ground in communities across the state.
Speaking ahead of the launch today, the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs Frances Fitzgerald said:
I consider the new Child and Family Agency as the most effective response possible to our country’s repeated and tragic failings in child protection, as shown in the evidence of successive enquiries and reviews over many years.
She said that the agency is designed in such a way that never again will child protection “be seen as just a secondary concern and that at-risk children will no longer fall through the gaps between disparate services”.
Fitzgerald added that under the new body, families will be offered the best possible services and opportunities at an early stage.
Speaking on RTE’s Morning Ireland, Senator and children’s rights activist Jillan van Turnhout said it was a great day, but said the job of the agency now was to ensure it gets all the resources it needs and that all agencies cooperate with each other.
She said it was also important that the agency communicated to the general public how the can get in contact if they have a concern about their own child or child in the area.
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How does opening a new agency to take over a job that was supposed to be done anyway, under the same authority, make it impermeable to error?
The legislation preventing its employees from disclosing what goes on will allow it to conceal every error. Perhaps not impermeable (or impervious), but they will do their best to prevent anyone to expose the lie that is the presumption that they can do no wrong.
Consider also the effect this weeks ECtHR judgement will have on the operations of this agency.
Great news .. Another Quango for the tax payer to fund
Good news for consultants as well….
€186k for the new CEO. £145k for the Head of Quality Assurance. Both salaries exceed Govt. pay caps. 6 months ago Minister for Children Frances Fitzgerald TD said the budget would be £550 million. Now it’s up to €609 million with no explanation proffered. The lack of respect for public monies is breathtaking.
Changing a name won’t change a thing
You are right Alison. As someone who has more than a peripheral knowledge of “Child Protection” in this country what hasn’t changed is the is the mgt. style of attrition and the culture of cover up which leaves the frontline workers feeling ineffective and vulnerable . In fact i feel social work Has lost its way and has become more of a civil service and less of a social work service. How can this be an effective way of protecting our children? its not–full stop. I just despair that we dont seem to learn , or encourage our front line workers particularly in this important area . Another problem is that the social work profession isnt standing up and saying enough is enough.
Sick and sad really .
I’m all for anything that helps child protection but does 4,000 staff not seem seriously excessive?
Bilbo there is no new staff, all existing staff are just being moved under the banner of this new agency. As a foster carer having knowledge of just one area; believe it or not they are seriously understaffed.
Great news… Another body charged with abusing children’s rights. ….
More jobs for the boys,another layer of overpaid and pensioned desk jockeys.
new name ,same old faces , to have any lasting effect these changes should have meant a freash start, complete clear-out of all those involved in the previous entity, especially those at the top and in senior management where most of the past ‘mistakes’ where made,
As it is its really just a re-branding of the old entity, more safe jobs for ‘ those in the know’ and an added few more at the top table.
Minister for children says it all really there’s too many chiefs in this wigwam.
In 1783 Poland banned corporal punishment in schools. Ireland finally banned it in 1982. 200 years …. sad.
How long before “homework” is banned?
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School corporal punishment, an official punishment for misbehaviour by school students, involves striking the student a given number of times in a generally methodical and premeditated ceremony. The punishment is usually administered either across the buttocks[1] or on the hands,[2] with an implement specially kept for the purpose such as a rattan cane, wooden paddle, slipper, leather strap or wooden yardstick.
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