Protecting children: A lot done but more to do

IT is disheartening, and unacceptable, that some male religious congregations have yet to comply with the Catholic Church’s child protection guidelines.

In the light of the traumatic and heart-rending revelations of recent years, it seems incomprehensible too.

Speaking yesterday, Teresa Devlin, chief executive of the National Board for Safeguarding Children, expressed her disappointment that “for the majority of orders, the whole area of safeguarding is only being bedded down in the last couple of years”.

She also expressed unhappiness with the fact that some orders did not change the culture around speedy reporting of abuse or abuse allegations “until 2013”.

She expressed concern too that of nine congregations reviewed in reports published yesterday “only two orders have demonstrated good compliance and have demonstrated their commitment to putting in place good safeguards for children as well as prompt responses to allegations of abuse. For the other seven there is considerable work to be done”.

This report, though not directly, calls into question the sincerity of the commitments given by the Catholic hierarchy and suggests that the contrition so readily expressed when wrong-doing could no longer be denied served the moment rather than the truth.

Though many of the instances reviewed were historical, Ms Devlin has raised contemporary concerns that demand immediate action.