Principals: Neglect not limited to less well-off

CHILD neglect is no longer affecting just pupils from poorer backgrounds and needs to be the subject of mandatory reporting laws along with other forms of abuse, principals have warned.

The Irish Primary Principals’ Network (IPPN) is seeking the introduction of laws to make reporting the suspicion of child abuse obligatory, but insists it must be followed by mandatory action from health authorities.

Almost nine-in-10 of 900 members surveyed ahead of the organisation’s conference, which began in Killarney yesterday, want laws introduced to make reporting mandatory to protect children at risk. The types of abuse under which schools are expected to make reports to health authorities are neglect, physical, sexual or psychological abuse.

IPPN director Sean Cottrell said it is a matter of grave concern that many school principals have previously reported suspicions, but without any action being taken.

“We completely understand the workloads of social workers are huge but the HSE often simply doesn’t respond. Having reporting guidelines is one thing but there must also be an obligation for those who receive the complaints to follow them up,” he said.

Almost half the principals surveyed — even before the Roscommon child abuse case became public last week — said child neglect was the single biggest issue impacting on their pupils’ welfare, ahead of the other abuse headings and bigger than bullying, mental health and obesity.

The kind of neglect being witnessed by teachers and principals on a growing basis includes children coming to school unwashed or with dirty clothing, being poorly fed or coming in without breakfast, having no lunch, and being collected late or not at all after school.

Mr Cottrell said that it is not just children from socially deprived homes who are being identified as possible victims of neglect.

“There’s evidence of more children from middle income families suffering certain levels of neglect. We all know there are more and more parents under huge pressures themselves, maybe driving long distances to and from work every day and earning only moderate wages,” he said.

He added that school principals remain wary about raising concerns under the Children First guidelines, in place for schools and others working with children since the late 1990s.

“When issues first come to notice at school, a principal might bring in a child’s parents for a chat, it might just turn out to be a lack of parenting skills,” Mr Cottrell said.

“But as things are, by reporting concerns they risk breaking down whatever positive relationship they might have had with parents involved, who might end up breaking off communication or becoming aggressive,” he said.