Public consultation on draft child protection standards

Dear sir - It is very clear from various reports in recent years that have highlighted the scale and seriousness of child abuse in Ireland, that there is a need to significantly improve Ireland's child protection and welfare services. With this as our guiding principle, the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) has developed Draft National Standards for the Protection and Welfare of Children which set out the key attributes of an effective and safe child protection service. The setting of standards by HIQA and the monitoring of compliance with them are important levers in driving improvements in the effectiveness and safety of health and social care services for children and families. The new draft Standards have been launched for public consultation until 17 May next by HIQA. The Standards document and an easy-to-read guide to the draft Standards can be downloaded from the Authority's website, www.hiqa.ie. HIQA has a legal duty to set standards, while the Health Service Executive (HSE) has a legal responsibility to promote the welfare of children not receiving adequate care and protection and therefore it is critical to ensure that the system for protecting children is effective and robust. The draft National Standards have now been developed by HIQA to support continuous improvements in the care and protection of children receiving HSE child protection and welfare services. When finalised, the Standards will be the basis of HIQA's future inspections of the HSE's child protection functions and can also be used as a guide for self-assessment and improvement by all those involved in the protection of children. While HIQA will publicly report on the HSE's performance and hold the HSE accountable for these services, the Standards will enable HSE child protection and welfare services to gear up to the best of their ability to address concerns consistently and to a high standard. HIQA developed the Standards assisted by a Standards Advisory Group. This is a group of key representatives from the HSE, Government departments, An Garda Síochána, other regulatory bodies, people from the academic and legal fields, non-statutory organisations and other key stakeholders. The expert group and HIQA looked at and considered international and national published research, standards in Ireland and elsewhere, expert opinion, policy document and reports by national and international governmental and non-governmental organisations. The Authority is now seeking the views of the general public and children and young people on the draft National Standards. Information collected from this consultation process will be used to inform the development of the Standards. Your comments can be submitted through an online survey on the HIQA website, www.hiqa.ie, or by downloading and completing the consultation feedback form on our website and emailing it to consultation@hiqa.ie. You can print off the feedback form and post it to us, or you can write to us. Once the consultation deadline has passed, the Authority will carefully analyse all the submissions made and we make further amendments to the Standards document. The finalised Standards will be presented to the Board of the Authority for its approval. Following this, the Standards will be submitted for approval to the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs. Yours, Tracey Cooper, Chief Executive, Health Information and Quality Authority.