Vulnerable children ‘still unprotected’

THE gap between promises and action to protect Ireland’s most vulnerable children has been criticised in a big new report commissioned by the Ombudsman for Children.

It says that such children have yet to benefit from coherent policy or targeted intervention supports or services — they are marginalised and, in some cases, discriminated against.

Those identified as being the most vulnerable are children in the care of criminal justice system; Traveller, immigrant and asylum seeking children; homeless children; children in poverty and children at risk of abuse and neglect.