It is a requirement that all groups working with children in the diocese and/or using facilities owned by the diocese are insured, and that they have a child safeguarding policy in place. The obligation to comply with requirements relating to insurance and child safeguarding rests with the group using Church property, and not with the diocese.

  • It is the responsibility of any group using Church property to run activities involving children to ensure that they comply with all applicable child safeguarding and protection legislation and guidelines.
  • The group should have their own child safeguarding policy and procedures. The group is also responsible for liaising with Tusla (as appropriate), to ensure that the policy and procedures meet the statutory requirements.
  • The group should have appropriate insurance for the activity it is running.
  • The diocese will at no stage assist any outside group in developing a child safeguarding policy.
  • The diocese requires confirmation in writing from the group that it has a child safeguarding policy in place. It is not the role of the diocese to validate the adequacy of the policy; that is the responsibility of Tusla.

The diocese requires confirmation in writing from the group that it has appropriate insurance in place, which includes the following:

– The name of their insurers;

-The policy number;

-The period of cover of the policy;

-The limit of indemnity.

See S4.18 for relevant form

External organisations that offer advice and support regarding child safeguarding policies

The following organisations may prove helpful in providing training and assisting external groups to create their own safeguarding policy.

  • Tusla Information and Advice Officers http://www.tusla.ie/children-first/roles-and- responsibilities/organisations/children-first-training
  • Barnardos http://www.barnardos.ie/what-we-do/training/training-and-consultancy.html
  • National Youth Council of Ireland http://www.nycitraining.org
  • Dublin Rape Crisis Centre http://www.drcc.ie/training-and-development