Appendixes

Appendix 1: Glossary of Terms

• Child: a person under the age of 18 years old.
• Child Safeguarding: ensuring safe practice and appropriate responses by employees to concerns about the safety or welfare of children, including online concerns, should these arise. Child safeguarding is about protecting the child from harm, promoting their welfare and in doing so creating an environment which enables children to grow, develop and achieve their full potential.
• Child Safeguarding Statement: defined in the Children First Act 2015, this is a statement which includes a written assessment of risk and the reassures that will be taken to manage risks.
• Relevant Person: as defined in the Children First Act 2015 ‘a person who is appointed by a provider of a relevant service to be the first point of contact in respect of the provider’s Child Safeguarding Statement’.
• Relevant Service: providers of ‘relevant services’, as set out under Schedule 1 of the Children First Act 2015, have a statutory responsibility to ensure, as far as practicable, that a child is safe from harm while engaging with their service. 
• Designated Liaison Person (DLP): a resource to any staff member who has a child protection concern. DLPs are responsible for ensuring that reporting procedures are followed correctly and promptly and act as a liaison person with other agencies.
• Tusla: Tusla is Ireland Child and Family Agency, the lead, statutory organisation for safeguarding children in Ireland.
• Head Office: Central Statistics Office (CSO), Skehard Road, Cork, T12 X00E; CSO, Ardee Road, Rathmines, Dublin 6, D06 FX52; and CSO Swords, Co. Dublin, K67 D2X4.  
• Enforcement, Legal and Governance (ELG) Division: the CSO division responsible for a range of governance functions such as data protection, freedom of information, internal auditing and risk management and legal services guidance.

Appendix 2: Combined Risk Assessment

The table below presents a combined risk assessment for the following areas: TCOs (under 18yrs), Field Surveys, GUI Surveys and Census of Population. 

Appendix 3: Index of Role, Tasks and Contact Person

Appendix 4: CSO Child Safeguarding Record Form

Appendix 5: Protection for Persons Reporting Child Abuse Act 1998

The Protection for Persons Reporting Child Abuse Act 1998 provides immunity from civil liability to persons who report child abuse “reasonably and in good faith” to the HSE or An Garda Síochána. This means that even if a reported suspicion of child abuse proves unfounded a plaintiff who took action would have to prove that the reporter had not acted reasonably and in good faith in making the report. This protection applies to organisations and to individuals. It is considered therefore that organisations should assume full responsibility for reporting suspected child abuse to the appropriate authorities.
Reports to the HSE and to An Garda Síochána should be made as per the CSO's policy and guidelines. Section 3 (1) of the Act states: “3. (I) A person who apart from this section, would be so liable shall not be liable in damages in respect of the communication, whether in writing or otherwise, by him or her to an appropriate person of his or her opinion that- (a) a child has been or is being assaulted, ill-treated, neglected or sexually abused, or (b) a child’s health development or welfare has been or is being avoidably impaired or neglected, unless it is proven that he or she has not acted reasonably and in good faith in forming that opinion and communicating it to the appropriate person”.
Under Section 4 of the same Act no employee will be penalised for making a report of child abuse in good faith to the HSE or to An Garda Síochána.

The Defence of Qualified Privilege

A person who makes a report in good faith and in the child's best interests may also be protected under common law by the defence of qualified privilege. The Common Law provides a defence, in particular circumstances, to individuals who make verbal or written statements of a kind, which could expose their author to a claim of defamation if such statements were made in different circumstances. The defence exists in recognition of the fact that there are circumstances in which individuals have to be able to speak freely without fear of adverse legal consequences.
In general, the privilege covers situations where the maker of the statement has a duty to speak or is obliged to protect some interest. The duty in question does not have to be a strictly legal one: a moral or social duty to make a statement or report is sufficient. The recipient of the statement must have a corresponding duty to receive the statement. The defence only applies where the individual who makes the statement is not motivated by malice in making this statement.
In circumstances where an individual has a duty to speak and does so without malice, they can be assured that the defence of the qualified privilege will protect them from any defamation claim to which their statement could possibly give rise. The defence will apply, for example, when an employee reports to their line manager (or some specially designated person), their bona fide suspicion that a fellow employee may have committed an act of abuse in the course of the latter's employment.

Appendix 6: Protective Measures

Pending the outcome of the investigation and any subsequent disciplinary process, the CSO should take whatever protective measures necessary to ensure that children are not exposed to risk. These protective measures are not disciplinary measures, and may include: 

• Providing an appropriate level of supervision
• Re-assigning duties where the accused will not have contact with children
• Putting the staff member off duty with pay.

Putting the staff member off duty pending the outcome of the investigation should be reserved for exceptional circumstances. It should be explained to the staff member concerned that the decision to put them off duty is a precautionary measure and not a disciplinary sanction.
The views of the staff member concerned will be taken into consideration when determining the appropriate protective measures to take. However, the final decision will rest with the Director General of the CSO.

Appendix 7: Safe Recruitment Procedures for Workers

Recruitment to the civil service is managed by the Public Jobs, however, the CSO manages some of its own recruitment. Garda vetting by An Garda Síochána is carried out on all field staff, including temporary staff. The CSO reserve the right to Garda vet employees at any stage during their employment.
HR complete references checks for any staff employed directly by the CSO. Any externally contracted staff must have their references checked by the relevant hiring manager. There is provision for review of a potential candidate if a disclosure is made.
For full time staff members, the first year of their employment is considered the probationary contract (pro-rata for temporary staff) and is highlighted in the contract as such. Prior to completion of the probationary period, a decision is made as to whether or not the staff member should be retained pursuant to Section 5A(2) of the Civil Service Regulation Acts 1956-2005. This decision is based on the staff members performance and suitability for the role. The probationary contract may be terminated at any time prior to the expiry of the term of the contract by either side in accordance with the Minimum Notice and Terms of Employment Acts, 1973 to 2005.
As part of the Child Safeguarding Policy within the CSO, all new members of staff who will directly deal with children are required to complete a Self-Declaration Form and agree to comply with the provisions outlined in the CSO Child Safeguarding Policy. Any new hires which this is applicable to will receive the policy and declaration as part of their new hire pack.
Line managers are responsible for assessing if staff will deal directly with children and will brief them on their responsibilities at the commencement of their assignment to these duties. All staff who are dealing with children will also undertake an annual course on the Child Safeguarding Policy. It is the responsibility of their line managers to ensure that any refresher courses are carried out.
All staff will also be provided with a copy of the CSO Child Safeguarding Policy, and it is their duty to familiarise themselves with and adhere to the procedures outlined in the policy.

Appendix 8: Staff Self Declaration Form

The Central Statistics Office (CSO) has a corporate duty to promote the safety and well-being of children with whom it is in contact in any capacity. It is therefore required that all CSO staff members who will directly deal with children complete and sign this declaration form.

  
THIS DECLARATION MUST BE SIGNED, RETURNED TO HR, AND RETAINED ON EMPLOYEE ES FILE