Protecting Children In Ireland: Common Features, Risk Assessment, Multi-Agency Working And Hurdles

A Common Attribute in a Family that Causes Harm to Children

It is the responsibility of every person to follow the safeguard measures for protecting the children as well as vulnerable adults and adopted such policies that will keep them safe (Livingstone & Byrne, 2018). It is significant for the family, professionals and communities to recognize any action that is causing harm to children, as well as a young person and they, should take some actions in response to causes to them. In 1996 children’s bill was passed by the government of Ireland that focuses upon reforming the system regarding juvenile justice along with it another legislation was published namely the Child Care Act 1991, which provide child care services to those who are in need and may detain children that is in the best interest (O’Brien, 2018). Irish Government has established National Council for Children and made ratification in the United Nations Convention for the purpose of providing rights to children (Kenny, et al., 2020). The paper will recognize some common features followed by a family that lead to harm caused to the children along with it there is a risk assessment process that will be determined regarding the protection of a child. The paper will accomplish several provisions adopted by various agencies for the protection of children along with it some barriers concerning agency working will be identified.

Irish government recognize families as primary person that are responsible for the welfare of children. Some families do take proper care of their children causing them harm, some features that give rise to harm to children are as follows;

1. Neglect- Child neglect is considered a common form of abuse in Ireland as well as internationally(TUSLA, 2021). It is recognized as extremely harmful concerning the development as well as the well-being of children and it will have a long-term negative impact upon children. The neglect of children occurs due to inadequate care of a child that has a physical as well as the developmental impact upon them. Sometimes neglect of children is related to poverty and subjected to parental substance misuse, parental mental illness, domestic violence and disability.
2. Physical abuse- When someone voluntarily hurts a child by putting them at risk and harming them physically. The impact physical abuse can influence the health of a child as well as their development. The Children First Act 2015 involves statutory obligations that organizations had to adopt for providing facilities to children. When a child avails such services then they are protected against harm. The physical abuse faced by children includes physical punishment, use of extreme force in handling the child, induced illness and deliberately poisoning them.
3. Bullying- It affects the lives of several children and impact the welfare of children. Bullying is referred to as repeated aggression faced by children in terms of verbal psychological as well as physical. Bullying can be faced by any children, maybe they are vulnerable. It is also considered as a feature that makes them more helpless to harm.
4. Emotional abuse- The child faced ill-treatment from their family that is considered as a portion of the overall relationship between them(Lagdon, et al., 2021). Emotional abuse happens when the parents that are responsible for their child does not fulfil the emotional as well as developmental needs of children. When the behavior of parents become typical towards their children that because a cause of reasonable concern. The emotional abuse includes lack of love from parents, lack of appropriate stimulation, continuity in lack of appraisal, bullying and continuous family conflicts faced by the child.
5. Sexual abuse- Child abusive activities involve several abusive activities and might involve several incidents and not a single incident faced by them. Sexual abuse happens when another person wanted to use the child for their gratification and it involves any kind of sexual activity. During sexual abuse, the child is not aware that he/she has faced the incident of sexual abuse.

During child protection, the risk assessment occurs in the procedure of notification and investigation. It states that the report concerning the children requires any kind of further investigation as well as the requirement of services. The risk assessment is undertaken by the Children First Act 2015, they provide relevant services to children (TUSLA, 2021). When the children are been cared for by an organization then potential harm faced by children is been identified. The risk assessment involves the risk of abuse as well as the risk of health as well as safety. The Child Safeguarding Statement is completed through the way of Online Safety Addendum to Children First National Guidance. The risk assessment process is as follows;

1. Identification of potential risks- The risk that is faced by children is to be identified by an organization. As risk is considered as the probability of the possible harm realized. When a risk is been identified then a procedure is been evaluated for protecting the child from such harm.
2. Assessment of risk- When the risk of harm is been identified then the next step is to assess the risk(Crawley, et al., 2020). When a risk is assessed then the probable cause of risk is been evaluated so that the origin of such harm to children is been assessed. The harm might be related to any family issues or bullying faced by the children then an organization has to evaluate the starting point of risk.
3. Development of policies as well as procedures for minimizing the risk- An organization had to develop several kinds of policies so that the risk identified should be minimized. The development of procedures should be made within minimal time. The policy can include providing services for the welfare of children so that they can live happily. The important part is the well-being of a child and which is to be achieved by various agencies who are giving them services. Also, those people that are harming children should be given punishment so that they cannot do any such act in future.
4. Examine the adequate precautionary steps taken for eliminating the risk- When the risk is identified and several procedures have been taken for minimizing the risk(Sankaran, et al., 2018). The steps taken have to be reviewed by the authority for avoiding any kind of failure. The precautionary steps are considered adequate when children get benefits from the services provided by agencies.

After the completion of risk assessment, then a Child Safeguarding Statement is to be developed by an organization. It states the policies as well as procedures for managing the identified risk.

Risk Assessment Process Concerning Child Protection

Society has the responsibility to avoid any kind of harm caused to children as well as vulnerable adults and keep them safe. The authority is upon the Children First National Guidance for outlining every organization that is working with young people as well as children (Brady, et al., 2019). The outline requires the creation of a culture that provides them safety which will promote the well-being of children for availing the services. An agency has the responsibility of protecting children from any kind of harm. Some agencies provide services to children according to the Children First Act 2015 and they have to follow certain obligations prescribed by the Act (Nohilly, 2018). The guidelines prescribe the best practices to be taken by the agencies for providing safety measures to children. Inter-disciplinary as well as inter-agency work is considered central for the practices of child protection. These are related to structural factors that include delay in services and a waiting list that is prepared for the services.

The Northern Ireland Executive is responsible for the protection of children in Northern Ireland. The policy, statutory guidance and legislation are prescribed by the agency regarding the working on protecting the child (NSPCC, 2021). It is the responsibility of the Safeguarding Board for Northern Ireland to make sure that effective measures are taken for the protection of children and promoting the well-being of children. They are responsible for the development of procedures as well as policies for improving the agencies that are working together for proving protection to children.

All agencies that are working together for the safety of children had to create a culture that promotes the happiness of children and vulnerable young people. All agencies working together had to develop their policies as well as procedures for creating a safe environment. they have to consider the needs of the children and develop such procedures that satisfy their needs. Some policies include dealing with issues concerning the protection of a child, working with children to provide them safety, providing them training for safeguarding purposes, implementing some safeguarding strategies and managing the staff.

An agency namely the Children’s Rights Alliances work together with 100 members for providing the best place for the safety of children (Howlett, et al., 2022). Their goals are to provide the best life to children in their best interest and give them their rights. Also, the children should be treated with respect as well as protected with relevant laws as well as policies in an organization.

Different Agencies Working Together for Protecting Children

The objective of multi-agency working is to provide support to the children as well as their families regarding their additional needs (Curtin, 2020). They also help them secure real improvements concerning their life outcomes. For example, Behaviour and Education Support Teams as well as Youth Offending Teams. The diversity establishes that there is no correct manner regarding the working of multi-agency which is the significant hurdles faced by them. There are some barriers faced by them are;

1. Low political commitment.
2. Lack of clear as well as a reasonable communication strategy for protection of children.
3. Lack of ownership.
4. Lack of financial as well as skilled human resources.
5. Territorial issues include sharing of facilities with other agencies.
6. Inter-agency mistrust is faced by each agency.
7. Professional jealousy can be a common reason between them.

When multi-agency working together there is a difference regarding their perspective while dealing with the risk related to protecting the child (Richards, 2018). The difference in their opinion might lead to a common hurdle during their work. For example, there were some differences in their statistics to such a range where educators, as well as child welfare workers, alleged five factors out of ten factors. It is regarded as a barrier related to the child’s educational progression. When resources are absent as well as resource shortages then it may act as a hurdle to the working of multi-agency. Also, the disparate knowledge as well as attitudes of the professional of multi-agency that are working together. It also acts as a hurdle regarding their work. An agency that is working together may contact the Child and Family Agency for any kind of concern or issue which they are facing related to the welfare of a child. Any such barrier faced by the multi-agency then they can make a concern towards Child and Family Agency (Gibbons & Connolly, 2020).

Conclusion

The paper has recognized the provision in Ireland regarding the protection of children as well as a young vulnerable adult. It accomplished some common attributes by the family members towards the children for harming them due to which the children become more vulnerable. The paper has identified the process of the risk assessment which is related to the protection of children as well as a young person and the process. The procedure includes identification, evaluation, analysis of the risk and steps taken by an organization for mitigating the risk. The paper has recognized different agencies that are working together for the common goal that is protecting the children from different harm that they face in their life. It identifies the procedure where the agencies are working together for fulfilling their goals together. The paper has identified several hurdles that are faced by the multi-agency who are working together for the common objective. The objective of the multi-agency is to protect the child from the harm that they face.

References 

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Crawley, E. et al., 2020. Wider collateral damage to children in the UK because of the social distancing measures designed to reduce the impact of COVID-19 in adults. BMJ Paediatrics Open, 4(1).

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Gibbons, M. & Connolly, N., 2020. Just shut up and let them talk’: Participation, power and the parent voice in the child protection system. Social Work and Social Sciences Review, 22(1), pp. 26-41.

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