Social services ‘not following up abuse claims’

SCHOOL principals have claimed that social services are not following up on reports from schools of suspected child abuse and neglect.

The Irish Primary Principals’ Network has called for mandatory reporting, but the organisation also wants assurances that any allegations are followed up by health authorities.

The organisation’s director Sean Cottrell said he took a call as recently as yesterday morning from a principal who had made a report of suspected abuse to his local Health Service Executive (HSE) office.