A new addendum to the Children First National Guidance has just been published. The Addendum ‘Children First: National Guidance For The Protection And Welfare Of Children (2017) Dealing With Adult Retrospective Disclosures Of Childhood Abuse’ relates to the legal responsibilities of mandated persons in relation to retrospective disclosures of abuse. This addendum should be read alongside the current Children First Guidance 2017 and the 2019 Online Safety Addendum.
In 2024, the National Child Safeguarding Programme (NCSP) trained 16 trainers to deliver Tusla’s Always Children First, Designated Liaison Person (DLP) Training to Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School Aged Childcare (SAC) services in Ireland. Phase one of this training was carried out during 2024 by NCSP trainers located in City & County Childcare Committees nationally. In October, the trainers came together to reflect on phase one of the DLP training roll out and for continuous professional development.
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This 5 year training cycle starts from the next time you attend the Children First Child Safeguarding Awareness Training for Organisations (Step 3). This is the face to face foundation level training. Each individual service’s Child Safeguarding Information and Training Procedure should guide when each worker/volunteer begins this cycle.
“Child Safeguarding Statement, Policy, and Procedures: Guidance for Early Learning and Care and School Aged Childcare Services in Ireland”is a resource for ELC and SAC services who are developing, reviewing or updating their Child Safeguarding Statement and associated procedures. This resource is designed to be used by each individual ELC and SAC service and should reflect the individuality of all services. This document was developed by the National Child Safeguarding Programme; Early Learning and Care, in conjunction with Tusla Children First Information and Advice Officers.
If you have a concern about the protection or welfare of a child, contact Tusla Duty Social Work, contact details can be found here:
Contact TuslaIf you have a concern about the protection or welfare of a child out of hours and/or you cannot reach Tusla, you should contact An Garda Síochana.
An Garda Síochana
On the 29th of March 2023, the National Child Safeguarding Programme, in conjunction with Tusla held a trainer recognition ceremony to recognise the achievements of the new and existing trainers on the programme.
In 2022, the programme, which is funded by the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, provided Always Children First training to almost two and a half thousand workers in one thousand six hundred services across Ireland. This was despite the challenges presented to the sector due to public health concerns. Further to this, countless supports and resources were also developed to support ELC and SAC services to meet all of their obligations under the Children First Act, 2015 and The Children First National Guidance, 2017.
At the Trainer Recognition Ceremony, eighteen new trainers who completed the Train the Trainer Programme in 2022 were presented with their certificates by Colette McLoughlin – Tusla Service Director – National Office Services & Integration, who acknowledged the resounding success of the programme which in no small part can be attributed to the strength of the working partnership between the National Child Safeguarding Programme and Tusla, specifically the Tusla Children First Information and Advice Service.
At the Trainer Recognition Ceremony, a further 43 trainers were re-recognised by Tusla following their successful engagement in and completion of the Tusla Quality Assurance Process. The QAP is an integral part of the National Child Safeguarding Programme as it assures the quality delivery of training and information to all ELC and SAC services nationally.
Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Roderic O’Gorman thanked all trainers at the ceremony via video link acknowledge the commitment of the trainers and their organisations to support ELC and SAC services to be safe places for children to grow, develop and achieve their full potential.
