Child Protection
Supporting the youth work sector to safeguard children and young people
The Child Protection Programme is based in the National Youth Council of Ireland and is funded by the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth.
The Child Protection Programme is dedicated to supporting the youth work sector to meet their responsibilities in relation to child safeguarding and protection. The Programme supports the sector through the provision of training, resource materials, support and guidance, and advocacy on behalf of the youth work sector.
Child Protection Training
NYCI’s Child Protection Programme offers a number of different trainings for youth work organisations to ensure all staff and volunteers understand what their responsibilities are when it comes to safeguarding and child protection.
Child Protection Resources
NYCI’s Child Protection Programme has developed a number of different resources to support the youth work sector to fulfil their safeguarding responsibilities.
Child Safeguarding Committee for the Youth Work Sector
This committee’s purpose is to continue supporting the ongoing implementation and review of Children First in the youth work sector and to identify emerging safeguarding and child protection needs within the youth work sector and potential responses to these.
Connected
elearning Resource
NYCI is delighted to have worked with Webwise to adapt its “Connected” school programme to provide a resource that contains information, workshops, and practical activities that can be used by youth workers and volunteers in their work with young people.
Online safety & awareness in Youth Work
e-Learning
The Child Protection Programme has developed a new free eLearning to support the youth work sector to help keep young people safe online.
This e-Learning introduces youth workers and volunteers to key topics in online safety, and addresses the challenges that young people may face online. It explores the importance of digital awareness in your role and the ways you can support young people to be safer online.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you have a concern about a young person, it is very important that you take one of the following actions:
- Report your concern to your Designated Liaison Person (DLP) within your organisation.
- If you do not have a Designated Liaison Person, report directly to your local duty social worker in Tusla, The Child and Family Agency.
- In an emergency or if a social worker is not available, contact your local Garda Station to speak with a member of An Garda Siochana.
All youth organisations have a responsibility and a duty of care for the protection and well being of the young people with whom they work. There are a number of measures that youth organisations must put in place to safeguard children from harm. These include the following:
A child protection policy and code of behaviour, a named designated liaison person, a safe recruitment and selection process for employees and volunteer which includes Garda vetting, procedures for dealing with allegations, supervision, support and training in child protection and safeguarding for all staff, volunteers and management.
For the youth work sector please see the training section of this website.
However, if you are outside of the youth work sector please contact your national governing body or Tusla for information on accessing appropriate child protection training.
For information on Garda vetting please see the National Vetting Bureau of An Garda Siochana
Alternatively you can contact the National Vetting Bureau of An Garda Siochana
Tel: +353 (0)504 27300
Child Protection Training
NUI Certificate in Child Protection & Welfare
The National Child Protection Programme delivers the Level 8 Certificate in Child Protection and Welfare in conjunction with Maynooth University every second year. The course aims to encourage, support and facilitate youth organisations to embed a safeguarding culture across the whole organisation.
Programme Award: Certificate in Child Protection and Welfare (Level 8) – Specialist Certificate in Child Protection and Welfare awarded by Maynooth University.
Information Session for Boards of Management on Children First
This information session is provided by the NYCI Child Protection Programme upon request to Boards of Management in the Youth Sector. It is not a training, but a 1-hour information session to support Boards of Management to familiarise themselves more broadly with child safeguarding and child protection.
Child Protection Awareness Programme
This training programme is aimed at staff and volunteers in the youth sector, working with young people with general responsibilities in relation to safeguarding, but who do not have specific responsibilities in their role in relation to child protection.
Child Protection Publications
Youth-Friendly Child Safeguarding Policy
NYCI's Child Safeguarding Policy, Procedures and Guidelines explain all the ways in which we keep young people safe when they attend our events or participate in […]
Child Safeguarding Policy Development Toolkit
This updated Policy Toolkit supports youth work organisations to develop and review your child safeguarding policy and procedures that describe all the safeguarding measures in place […]
Managing Complaints and Allegations
This guidance document has been written for those who are working and volunteering in the youth work sector in a range of youth services, projects, and […]