Austin Currie launches Ombudsman for Children’s 2010 Annual Report

• 1,223 complaints dealt with in 2010
• In-depth advice given on significant pieces of legislation
• Voices of children in St Patrick’s prison harnessed to bring about change

Civil rights activist and former Minister of State, Austin Currie, who was instrumental in the establishment of the Ombudsman for Children’s Office, launches the Ombudsman for Children’s 2010 Annual Report today (Wednesday).

The Ombudsman for Children, Emily Logan, said: “My 2010 annual report illustrates the need for public sector reform in relation to how the State supports children and families. Areas that I believe are of serious concern are the excessively bureaucratic approach to decision making by public administration, and the failure to ensure the implementation of national laws and policy such as the Child Care Act, 1991 and Children First – National Guidelines for the Protection and Welfare of Children.

The report, which concludes the first six-year period of the Ombudsman for Children’s Office, outlines the important role the Office has played since its establishment in 2004 promoting and monitoring children’s rights, providing quality control of public services to children and offering an independent, impartial and free redress mechanism for children and families who are unhappy about how they have been treated.

1,223 complaints were dealt with by the Office in 2010. Education accounted for 38% of complaints, 37% were health related, 8% were Justice related and 5% were Housing related. Parents remain the best advocates for their children with 75% of complaints coming from family members, 10% from professionals and 4% from young people themselves.

At a time when the OCO’s budget has been cut by 10% the volume of complaints received has increased by 65% since 2008. The Office has worked hard to ensure that the highest level of service is provided to children who need its assistance despite the pressure on resources.

Importantly, given the level of financial difficulty the country faces, the Ombudsman for Children’s Office has been able to provide alternative dispute resolution to families who may otherwise have been forced to take costly legal action against the State; to identify efficiencies for public bodies and to reduce the distress and hardship caused to children and families.

Where appropriate, the Office continued to make early interventions to public bodies regarding steps that could be taken to improve and refine policy, practice and procedure to achieve the best outcome for the child involved, and more generally for all children in contact with that public body.

In addition to her traditional ‘ombuds’ complaint and investigation powers as set out in the Ombudsman for Children Act, 2002, the Ombudsman for Children has the statutory responsibility to promote children’s rights including the principles of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child; to encourage public bodies to develop policies that consider children’s rights; to advise Government Ministers on any matter relating to children’s rights and welfare; to advise on legislation; and to consult children directly and make public their concerns.

In carrying out these obligations the Ombudsman for Children gave advice to Government Ministers on substantial pieces of legislation in 2010: the Health (Amendment) Bill, 2010, the Civil Partnership Bill, 2009, and the Child Care (Amendment) Bill, 2009. In response to a particular concern in the Child Care Amendment Bill, 2009, the Ombudsman for Children recommended that detention on remand should not be used for welfare reasons because of a lack of suitable care placement.

Since her appointment as Ombudsman for Children, Emily Logan has found no evidence of a conflict between children’s rights and those of their parents. In reality, it is the experience of the Office that children without parental care are the most vulnerable, and a concerted effort has been made to focus on the rights of these children. In 2010, the OCO undertook a project with children aged 16 and 17 detained in St Patrick’s Institution. The Ombudsman for Children welcomed the openness by the staff and management of St Patrick’s Institution to our direct work with children.

The task of advancing the realisation of children’s rights is about putting in place the necessary conditions for children to live with dignity and respect; for them to be recognised as the holders of rights; to fulfil their potential; and to ensure that they are happy, healthy and safe. Through its work the OCO sees the obstacles that children and families face in trying to achieve this, both in the course of investigating complaints brought to the Office and in direct work with children and young people. By illuminating these concrete and practical difficulties, the Ombudsman for Children’s Office aims to ensure that decision-makers and society at large are aware of problems that might otherwise remain unnoticed and unaddressed. The work of the OCO is also very much focused on providing solutions to the problems identified, and in that respect it provides guidance on how problems can be addressed in the interests of children.

ENDS

Note to Editors:

Emily Logan is Ireland’s first Ombudsman for Children, originally appointed by President Mary McAleese in December 2003 following an open competition and a resolution both Houses of the Oireachtas. She was reappointed for a second and final term in December 2009.

The Ombudsman for Children Act, 2002, the primary legislation setting out the power and authority of the Ombudsman for Children’s Office, came into effect 25th April 2004.

Emily Logan has over 29 years experience working directly with children and families and promoting their rights. She originally trained as a paediatric nurse, spent 10 years in the UK working at Guy’s and Great Ormond Street Hospital before returning to Ireland where she held two senior public administration posts before becoming Ombudsman for Children.

For more information contact Nikki Gallagher at 086-8163246

• 1 Meitheamh 2011
• Cineál: Preaseisiúint