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Support Services and Contacts

Director of Safeguarding and DLP

Ms. Cleo Yates
Tel. +353 873553024

The Director of Safeguarding is appointed by the Archbishop and reports directly to him. The role of the Director is to oversee all aspects of safeguarding and child protection in Church related activities throughout the Archdiocese. The Director will also provide professional expertise and support and coordinate the overall development of the service within the diocese.

The Role of the Designated Liaison Person is to hear any concerns or disclosures relating to safeguarding and to take responsibility for managing the responses to that concern or disclosure. The role includes;

  • Receive information about a child protection concern.
  • Report the concern received to the civil authorities (HSE / An Garda Siochana) and to National Office for Safeguarding Children without delay.
  • Explain the diocesan referral procedures to the person who has raised the concern.
  • Contact emergency or appropriate services where a child appears to be at immediate and serious risk of harm.
  • Inform the Archbishop that a complaint has been made and make a recommendation to the Archbishop about any immediate action(s) that may need to be taken.
  • Alert the Adviser to be on standby, without identifying the person complained against.
  • Make enquiries to identify the present and previous appointments of the person complained against in order to establish whether there are any previous concerns
  • Conduct an initial interview with the person complained against as soon as possible, unless the HSE / An Garda Síochána have requested that such an interview is deferred.
  • Prepare a written record of the interview that is agreed with the person complained against
  • Take the case if required to the Case Management Review Board for advice.
  • Follow the advice given by HSE / An Garda Síochána where a child protection concern has been referred to them.
  • Maintain a dialogue with the Investigating Officer or Social Worker to monitor the progress of the case and act on any advice given.
  • Ask for an update from the HSE / An Garda Síochána about the outcome of their investigations; this request should be made in writing.
  • Conduct an internal investigation under Canon Law at the conclusion or in the absence of any external investigation.

Diocesan Trainers

The Archdiocese has two accredited qualified trainers who provide training and support in all aspects of safeguarding children.

Ms. Mary Purcell and Fr. Tomas Hearne

Support Person

The role of the Support person is to assist anyone making a disclosure/ allegation of abuse. This may include:

  • Enabling the person to liaise with the Designated Liaison Person (DLP).
  • Represent their needs during an enquiry/investigation.

The Support Person is appointed by the Archbishop and has appropriate training.

Advisors

The Adviser is to be available to the person about whom a child protection concern, suspicion, disclosure or allegation has been made. The role of the Adviser is to represent their needs and assist, where appropriate, with communication with the Designated Liaison Person and the Archdiocese. The Archbishop will appoint a panel of Advisors from clergy and lay, who will receive appropriate training and support from the Archdiocese.
Those who have harmed others are asked to face up to the reality of abuse. While
not protected from the law, they should be treated with respect and dignity.

Parish Safeguarding Representative

Being responsible to the parish priest or local superior to promote child safeguarding by:

  • Raising awareness of what child safeguarding is;
  • Disseminating information regarding the standards and guidance, and circulating this information widely;
  • Ensuring Church activities are provided in a way that ensures the safety and well-being of the children involved
  • Ensuring that contact details of the DLP, Gardaí and Tulsa are widely publicised.
  • Upholding the seven standards in practice and behaviour.

Diocesan Safeguarding Committee.

To promote child safeguarding by:

  • Developing a three-year child safeguarding plan, including the establishment of the local child safeguarding policy and procedures;
  • Coordinating local safeguarding representatives (LSRs);
  • Coordinating activities related to child safeguarding, e.g. training; • Ensuring the annual audit, including the correlation of records for training-related activities;
  • Ensuring the completion of training needs assessments across the various child safeguarding roles in the Church body;
  • Ensuring, with the Church authority, that the appropriate child safeguarding personnel are in place;
  • Upholding the seven standards in practice and behaviour.

National Board for Safeguarding Children in the Catholic Church in Ireland (NBSCCCI or ‘National Board)

The National Board is independent in order to allow it to undertake advisory, audit and inspection functions. The National Board will produce an annual report, which provides data and commentary on the practice of Church organisations regarding the safeguarding of children. In particular, the annual report will contain summaries of the learning gained from reviews and audits carried out during the year to which the annual report relates.

The National Board has three main aims;

  • To offer advice on best practice in Safeguarding Children
  • To assist in the development of Safeguarding policy, procedures and practice.
  • To monitor practice in relation to Safeguarding Children.

Forms and Policies for Groups – Click here for guidelines

Submit Question

We welcome questions and your feedback. Please feel free to submit a question about the Cashel & Emly Diocese website, Safeguarding section
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