HSE National Child Protection and Welfare Policy

All of the safeguarding requirements in this Policy apply to in-person service delivery as well as digital working. All staff must read and adhere to this Policy. They must also refer and adhere to its suite of guides, as and when required.

The purpose of this Policy is to provide the framework for creating a safe environment for children and for the reporting of any child protection or welfare concerns. It is one of a number of policies and procedures in the HSE that contribute to safeguarding children. It describes the organisation’s (and that of its funded and contracted services):

• legal obligations
• policy and practice requirements for safeguarding children
• roles and responsibilities of all HSE staff (including students, volunteers, contracted and agency staff working in the HSE)
• procedures for managing child protection and welfare concerns, information sharing and record management practices.

The suite of guides has been developed to provide robust supporting information. The guides provide detailed and practical advice to help staff meet the requirements of HSE National Child Protection and Welfare Policy.