Review of Functions and Activities

The Central Statistics Office (CSO) is an independent office under the Statistics Act 1993.

Schedule 1 of the Act sets out the list of Relevant Services. Paragraph 5 (a) describes relevant work carried out i.e. ‘Any work or activity which consists of the provision of a) educational, research, training, cultural, recreational, leisure, social or physical activities to children’. Whilst the relevant services laid out in Schedule 1 of the Act are not part of CSO’s core function, the office does have a number of business areas where staff may occasionally interact with children, and therefore the following responsibilities attach to these activities:

• to keep a child safe from harm 
• to assess the risks
• to address those risks.

Having reviewed all functions and activities across all areas of the CSO, the office has identified five areas where CSO staff may have contact with children:

1. The occasional employment of Temporary Clerical Officers TCOs who meet the definition of a child set out in this policy
2. Field Surveys
3. Growing Up in Ireland Survey
4. Census of Population 
5. Children attending events on CSO premises or staff attending events where children may be present.

A risk assessment was carried out for each of these areas and collated into one document (see Appendix 3).

The occasional employment of Temporary Clerical Officers TCOs

While the employment of TCO’s does not fall within the definition of the provision of relevant services to children as set out in Schedule 1 of the Children First Act 2015, some TCOs may meet the definition of a child under this policy.

All TCOs on placement in the CSO will be provided the contact details for a HR staff member who will be a liaison officer for them to raise any issues/concerns with. All TCOs will be given a copy of the CSO Child Safeguarding Policy, which will be explained to them in detail in relation to their role. Line managers and immediate colleagues in contact with TCOs will undertake to complete relevant training. There is an onus on all staff who come into contact with TCOs to be cognisant and considerate of the relative immaturity, inexperience and/or potential vulnerability of the employee from the point of view of safety, health, welfare and safeguarding, and to report any concerns they may have to their manager.

TCO’s line managers should ensure, as far as practicable:

• that the office attendance pattern of the TCO coincides with their own attendance at work
• that the TCO and the line manager work in close enough proximity to ensure adequate supervision and support
• that as far as possible, the TCO works in a highly visible, well populated location where they are least likely to be alone with any one staff member or member of the public
• that the TCO is not required to work alone.

Staff members assigned to roles that deal directly with children will be required to sign the appropriate Staff Self Declaration Form (see Appendix 8).

Field, Growing Up in Ireland Surveys and Census of Population

Regarding field interviews it is important to note that although children are only directly interviewed in the Growing Up in Ireland Survey, child safeguarding protocols remain relevant for all surveys, and it is the CSO’s responsibility to safeguard all children encountered while carrying out their work responsibilities. This is particularly relevant for surveys such as Growing Up in Ireland where it is likely that while in a respondent’s home an interviewer will encounter other children such as a survey respondent’s siblings or friends.  It is also possible an adult respondent will disclose to an interviewer a concern they have about a child or make a retrospective disclosure of child abuse.  Protocols and procedures for how to respond to and report a concern are set out in Chapter 5.3 below.

Children attending events on CSO premises or staff attending events where children may be present

Children attending a CSO office for social events such as Christmas parties should be supervised and accompanied by their parent /guardian at all times to ensure an enjoyable and safe event for all.

Staff attending events such as the Young Scientist Awards or the National Ploughing Championships should be guided by the principles laid out in this policy.
CSO staff organising school visits to CSO offices should ensure that at least two CSO staff are present at all times and that a teacher accompanies the school children. This guidance also applies to the John Hooper Award Ceremony.

If it is desired to take photographs at any of these events, a written permission should be sought from the teacher(s) and parent/guardian(s) of the children attending in advance.