Time for Scouting Ireland to get its house in order

The latest revelations by Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, that it still has “serious concerns” over the ability of Scouting Ireland to keep children safe, are shocking and disturbing and will be a great worry to parents and guardians of young people who take part in scouting.

Tusla, Children’s Minister Katherine Zappone, and, perhaps most tellingly, Maeve Lewis, head of the abuse survivors group One in Four, remain unconvinced that Scouting Ireland is a safe place for our youth.

In the letter sent to Scouting Ireland chief executive John Lawlor 10 days ago, Tusla highlighted the organisation’s failure to implement the Children First national guidelines for the protection and welfare of children.

The Special Rapporteur on Child Protection, Geoffrey Shannon, has also expressed concern, saying that the issues raised in the letter strike at the heart of child protection.

While Scouting Ireland is facing a major investigation into historic cases of alleged child sex abuse, what is of immediate concern to Tusla is the organisation’s current procedures for protecting its young members of both sexes.

Tusla cites several alleged indecent assaults and cases of indecent exposure in the organisation, both involving juveniles abusing other juveniles.

Among the letter’s urgent recommendations is that the body undertake an “immediate review” of its supervision of children and that Scouting Ireland “consider the viability of continuing with overnight trips”.

Instead of taking on board fully those concerns, with the utmost seriousness and addressing them, Scouting Ireland is challenging the issues raised by Tusla’s letter.

Scouting Ireland’s child protection consultant, Ian Elliott, has said the organisation is as “safe as it can be and getting safer”. That, in itself, is a contradiction, because if it is already as safe as it can be, how can it be getting safer?

Speaking on RTÉ radio, yesterday, Mr Elliott said the organisation is “baffled” by the letter. Not half as baffled as worried parents must be at the response by Scouting Ireland, particularly those whose children will be going on overnight camps scheduled for this weekend.

The organisation has been given extra resources to ensure the safety of children within its care, following the announcement, last week, of an extra €200,000 a year in state funding for child protection measures. The additional funding brings Scouting Ireland’s annual public grant to €1.1m.

Instead of seeking to justify itself, the organisation needs to get its house in order. Otherwise, we could see the end of scouting in Ireland altogether and that would be a great shame. The movement, founded in England by Robert Baden-Powell in 1908, and modelled across the world, is designed to prepare youngsters to become well-adjusted adults with skills learned in the natural world. It remains as popular and as valuable as ever.

The suggestion by Tusla, and supported by Ms Zappone, that the organisation consider ending overnight camping trips, could prove the end of scouting as we know it.