When a respondent requires hospitalisation or a stay in a convalescence home, a number of steps should be taken:

  1. The DLP should be informed that the respondent has been hospitalised;
  2. The DLP should contact the child safeguarding officer in the hospital and inform them of the allegations so that the social worker can assess if there is any risk to children posed by the incoming patient;
  3. The social worker should be asked to consider who should be informed of the respondent’s circumstances, and to take responsibility for sharing this information;
  4. The steps taken should be recorded and sent to the hospital social worker for confirmation of receipt and acceptance of their role;
  5. The Bishop should be informed of the steps taken by the social worker to protect children;
  6. The respondent must be informed that the restrictions, already imposed, remain in place when in hospital or in a convalescent home;
  7. The childcare manager in the Tusla area where the respondent normally resides will be informed of the respondent’s hospitalisation and the steps taken to ensure the safeguarding of children;
  8. Documentation of these steps should be recorded in the respondent’s case file.
  9. Advice on information sharing is on a case-by-case basis and should be sought from Tusla.