Number of children begging falls to record low, say ISPCC

THE number of children found begging on the streets has fallen to a record low level in the past 12 months, according to the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children.

The 2005-2006 report by Leanbh, which is due to be published later today, shows there was a total of 756 sightings of juveniles begging in the past year. It represents a 3.7% decrease in the number of sightings compared to the previous 12-month period.

However, over a third of all sightings involved a case of a child begging in the company of an adult They accounted for the vast majority of the 154 sightings of children under the age of four who were witnessed.

Leanbh — a special 24-hour, seven-day service operated by the ISPCC seeking to protect children who beg and at risk on the streets — claims any incidence of child-begging is still unacceptable.

The organisation highlighted how there was still around 30 children and young people who beg on the streets of Dublin on a regular basis.

It also reported the majority of children involved in begging are members of the Roma and Travelling communities.

However, Leanbh stressed the vast majority of Traveller families were opposed to the practice.

The total number of children begging who received therapeutic support provided by Leanbh more than doubled over the past year from 71 to 181.

The report noted young people who are homeless or have run away from home also engage in such behaviour, as well as children with a drug or alcohol addiction.

Leanbh spokesperson Emma McKinley said child begging was still most prevalent in Dublin, although there were sightings in other urban centres.

She welcomed the significant decline in the sightings of children begging over the past decade.

In 1997 the year Leanbh was established, there were almost 2,900 similar sightings compared to the current total of just 756.

Leanbh has also expressed concern about the predominance of children from foreign nationalities, who are often seeking asylum, among those who beg in Irish towns and cities.

Ms McKinley said a particular cause for concern was the number of children from such communities who have been reported missing.

Leanbh social workers fear that many of these children are being trafficked in and out of Ireland.

*Leanbh 01-6447712.