Compliance with
Children First
National Guidance for the Protection and Welfare of Children
2011
Checklist for bodies funded under grant schemes operated by
the
Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht
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Compliance checklist for Children First: National Guidance for the Protection and Welfare of
Children
The Children First guidance document (section 4.2.2) sets out the roles and responsibilities of
Government Departments as:
“Every Government department or publicly funded body that delivers or funds services to
children – whether directly or indirectly through bodies or agencies under its aegis – has a
responsibility to ensure that there is an awareness within the relevant organisations of the
Children First: National Guidance and that the standards in relation to child protection and
welfare set out in the guidance are adhered to in the delivery of those services.”
This checklist sets out to meet the Department’s responsibilities, as outlined above, with a view
to assessing the level of implementation of Children First with regard to services which are
funded by the Department.
Who should complete this checklist?
If you or your organisation provides activities or services to children and families, Children First
2011 advises you that you have a corporate duty and responsibility to safeguard the children in
your care. As an organisation or an individual providing activities or services to children and
families, you must develop guidance and procedures for staff and volunteers in relation to child
protection – this is generally set out in a Child Protection and Welfare Policy.
This checklist should be completed by the provider of a service which is funded or paid for by
the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht and which involves any work or activity, a
necessary and regular part of which consists mainly of access to, or contact with, children
through the provision of educational, research, training, cultural, recreational, leisure, social or
physical activities, or the provision of advice to, or the care and supervision of children. In
instances where the Department funds an organisation or body that in turn provides funding to
a third party to provide any of the aforementioned services to children, it is the duty of the body
or organisation the Department funds directly to ensure that the recipient of downstream
funding has put in place policies and procedures which comply with Children First.
What does this checklist seek to achieve?
This checklist will assist grant recipients to assess, in cases where it is applicable, the level of
implementation of Children First in the provision of their service(s) and is based on the
following:



Children First: National Guidance for the Protection and Welfare of Children 2011;
Our Duty to Care - Department of Health 2002;
Tusla Interim Guide for the Development of Child Protection and Welfare Policy,
Procedures and Practices .
The checklist should be completed with reference to these documents.
Completion of the checklist and the provision of key information in relation to how children are
protected by you or your organisation will assist you and the Department in meeting our
respective obligations to children.
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Please note that should your child protection policy not meet the standards referred to in the
checklist that it is possible that the Department will not be in a position to provide funding to
you/your organisation.
Child Protection Policy Checklist
If you answer NO to any of the questions, please indicate what corrective actions you are
undertaking and an indicative time frame, if applicable. If not applicable, please state why.
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Child Protection and Welfare
Policy (CP&WP)
1.1
Do you have a Child Protection and
Welfare Policy (CP&WP) which is
consistent with Children First
National Guidance 2011 and Our
Duty to Care 2002?
Does the CP&WP include
definitions and signs of abuse as
outlined in Children First 2011?
Does your CP&WP include
information on
1.2
1.3
Yes
No
Comment if any
action is required to
ensure
implementation
/compliance
Timeframe
Section 176 of the Criminal Justice
Act 20061 (reckless endangerment
of children) and
Criminal Justice (Withholding of
Information on Offences against
Children and Vulnerable Persons)
Act 20122
1.4
1.5
1.6
Do you outline what is meant by
reasonable grounds for concern?
Does your policy include
retrospective disclosure?
Does the CP&WP outline a clear
reporting structure setting out, in
particular, whose responsibility it
is to report child protection and
welfare concerns and to whom?
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places a requirement on a person with authority or control over a child or over an abuser not to intentionally or recklessly
endanger the child by leaving or placing them in a situation of substantial risk of serious harm or sexual abuse. It states that they
have committed an offence if they have failed to take reasonable steps to protect a child that they know may be in a risk situation.
2 creates a criminal offence of withholding information relating to the commission of a serious offence, including a sexual offence,
against a person who is under the age of 18 years or an otherwise vulnerable person.
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1.7
Do you have a Designated Liaison
Person appointed for your
organisation in line with Children
First 2011?
If so, please provide the name of
the Designated Liaison Person:
1.8
Do you have a Deputy Designated
Liaison Person appointed?
If so, please provide the name of
the Deputy Designated Liaison
Person:
1.9
1.10
1.11
1.12
1.13
1.14
1.15
Does your policy have procedures
in relation to confidentiality?
Does your policy include the
sharing of information where a
child protection or welfare
concern arises?
Does your policy include
procedures on dealing with
allegations against staff?
Does your policy set out a Code of
Behaviour between staff and
young people?
Does your policy provide guidance
on the management of challenging
behaviour?
e.g. verbally and physically
aggressive behaviour
If applicable, do you have
procedures dealing with day
trips/outings for children?
Do you have specific guidance for
staff for especially vulnerable
children3?
If so, please specify
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Children who may have been abused or neglected, or who are at risk of abuse or neglect, including children in residential settings;
children in the care of the State under the Child Care Act 1991 (foster care, relative care; residential care); children who are
homeless; children with disabilities; separated children seeking asylum; children being trafficked.
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1.16 Does your policy set out good
practice in relation to the safe
management of activities,
including for one-to-one
situations?
1.17 Does your policy set out a
complaints procedure?
1.18 Does your policy set out
procedures in relation to
Incidents/Accidents?
1.19 Does your policy set out
procedures on record keeping?
If so, do your record keeping
procedures state that records
should be kept in a safe and
confidential manner?
And do your record keeping
procedures identify where records
of allegations, child protections
concerns are stored?
1.20 Do you make your Child Protection
and Welfare Policy available to
parents and young people?
Please set out how you make your
policy available i.e. website, hard
copy given to parents etc.:
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2.1
2.2
2.3
2.4
Staff and Volunteers
Do you apply for Garda vetting and
vetting from other countries, if
applicable, for staff and
volunteers?
Do you have specific factors which
would exclude applicants from
working in your organisation?
Do you have procedures on the
recruitment and management of
volunteers?
Do you have procedures on the
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2.5
2.6
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3.1
3.2
supervision of staff and
volunteers?
Do staff and volunteers receive
induction information on your
organisation’s Child Protection and
Welfare Policy?
Do you provide training to relevant
staff on Child Protection and
Welfare?
Review Mechanisms
How often is your Child Protection
and Welfare Policy reviewed?
Who is responsible for reviewing
your Child Protection and Welfare
Policy?
Name:
Contact Details:
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STATEMENT
I hereby confirm that the information which I have provided above is true and correct.
I hereby confirm consent for the disclosure of the above information for the purposes of the
Freedom of Information Act 2014 and the Data Protection Acts 1988 and 2003.
Signed: __________________________________________________
Position/Title: _____________________________________________
Name of organisation/body:
________________________________________________________
Contact Details:
(Phone)
(E-mail)
Date checklist completed:
________/_______/_______
For Departmental Use:
Name of funding manager in Department:
________________________________________________________
Date checklist received: ________/_______/_______
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