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Child Protection

We believe that childhood is a time to be treasured and that all children have a right to be brought up in an environment which is supportive of their development and free from harm or neglect.

Children and young people are among the most vulnerable members of our society, and that is why it is a societal responsibility to ensure our laws, policies and services offer the best protection to insulate them from those who would exploit or harm them.

Statistics on child protection

• There were 195 incidents of child abuse reported in 2004; this increased to 303 in 2006 and rose again to 566 in 2007 according to headline crime statistics.
• As of June 2007, there were 5,477 children in care of these 4,731 children were in foster care and another 423 in residential care. This is an increase on 2004, when there were 5,060 children in care with 4,243 (84%) in foster care and 442 (9%) in residential care.
• Neglect of the child was the most frequent reason (27%) that children were taken into care followed by (23%) parents unable to cope / family difficulties regarding accommodation or finance.
• One in three women and one in four men reported some level of sexual abuse in childhood.
• 25% of perpetrator of sexual abuse was another child or adolescent (17 years old or younger).

Useful documents 

Submission to the Joint Committee on the Constitutional Amendment on Children (2008)

Submission to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Child Protection (2006).

Our campaigns on child protection

Click here to find out about our campaign on children's rights.  

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