Church reviews policies on clerical child abuse

FRESH safeguards are planned by the Catholic Church to ensure procedures for the protection of children from sex abuse come up to national standards and are not restricted by canon law.

A new working group on child protection policy met for the first time yesterday to begin reviewing the Church’s existing policies and identify necessary changes.

Its chief concern will be making sure Church practices measure up to the Children First guidelines devised by the Department of Health and Children and implemented by health boards and other agencies since 1999.