Rights of a child not respected by decision makers

FACELESS administrators making vital decisions about children’s lives should have to explain why they are “saying no” and think about the impact their decision will have on the child.

Dr Ursula Kilkelly, who investigated 10 cases where children’s rights were breached on behalf of the Ombudsman for Children, said a protocol must be developed so those making decisions will have to give justifications as to why they did so.

Speaking to the Irish Examiner, Dr Kilkelly, a senior lecturer at University College Cork (UCC), said there was a disconnect between the bureaucratic system and the realities of a child’s needs and rights.