Guide to the Mandatory Reporting

of Child Abuse launched in Dublin

January 18, 2012: A Guide to the Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse was launched in Dublin today by One Child International Inc. This free guide provides information as to what mandatory reporting is, who mandated reporters are (everyone), and what to do to report actual or suspected abuse of children. It was designed for the public as well as professionals.

The simple guide strips the mystery off this subject which has been flitting around the halls of government since 1998. The perceived continuing lack of action about implementing mandatory reporting on the government's part is what prompted One Child's publication.

One Child International CEO, Evin Daly, commented that 'mandatory reporting is a moral and ethical imperative for every citizen in the country; the law - whenever it is passed - will simply formalize this obligation. It not a matter for debate or negotiation.'

This campaign is part of One Child's continuing effort to push for legislative and real change to benefit Ireland's children. Over the past two years One Child International has distributed millions of their free child abuse prevention brochures worldwide, 175,000 of which were requested by and delivered to Irish child-related organizations and schools. Since 2009 offers have been made by the non-profit to train, provide overseas training scholarships, and advise the government, NGOs and the Gardai on the implementation of models that work overseas using the world-class experts who are available on One Child's advisory board.

Asked about One Child International's insistent stance, Daly said, 'our research, interviews, and observations over the past four years have shown that there is a clique of special interests in Ireland, in Dublin particularly, who do not welcome change. These vested interests - in government and NGOs alike - have been shamefully and, in my mind, criminally dragging their feet in implementing standards and changes to benefit our children. How long must our children wait? If change is to come somebody has to take the lead.'

He went on to repeat his criticism of those responsible for protecting Irelands children from abuse, whose inaction he describes as, 'self-serving denial fueled by the intellectualization of issues, the result of which is stagnation.' His other points were summarized as follows.

The reality of the reluctance to change is that it is a protest against disturbing the status quo of those who benefit from the current outdated model and the funding they receive from the tax payer.

With change will come unwanted personal accountability and responsibility by the leaders of the NGOs and Government including, the need to measure and prove the effectiveness of the services they provide, the need by these leaders and their staff to provide testimony in court to prove their expertise on a case-by-case basis, all of which are an integral part of modern day child protection. As for the Minister for Children he said that he hopes that she can move on from being repeatedly 'shocked' about child abuse and take responsibility, as her role would suggest, to get something concrete done, or given her record to date, resign.

Daly has been pushing hard for the introduction of voluntary trained Guardian ad Litem - as opposed to Ireland's paid cadre - who will represent the best interests of abused, abandoned and neglected children in court. He points to the 67,000 volunteers in the U.S. who receive no compensation whatsoever for the successful work that they do representing children.

Copies of the Mandatory Reporting guide have been sent to members of the Dail and Senate as well as the heads of child benefit and advocacy groups around the country. It can be seen and ordered in any quantity up to 400 copies - free - at www.abusewatch.net/brochures.php or by email: info@abusewatch.net

One Child International Inc., is a child advocacy non-profit with offices in Dublin, Fort Lauderdale and Sydney. Their free child abuse prevention literature has been distributed to millions of recipients worldwide.

www.abusewatch.net, www.onechildinternational.net

 

As reported by Leah Tobin, Staff Writer

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