ISPCC welcomes the official establishment day of Coimisiún na Meán

glossary
glossary

ISPCC welcomes the official establishment day of Coimisiún na Meán which has been set up in accordance with the Online Safety and Media Regulation Act (OSMR).  

It is a great development to see Niamh Hodnett take on the role of Online Safety Commissioner. ISPCC has campaigned for the establishment of such an office since it was recommended by the Law Reform Commission in 2016. 

We commend Minister Catherine Martin for empowering the Online Safety Commissioner to develop binding online safety codes that hold designated online services to account for how they deal with harmful online content.

John Church, ISPCC CEO, said: “The establishment of Coimisiún na Meán and the office of Online Safety Commissioner is a crucial step in improving the safety and experience of children and young people in the ever-changing digital landscape. This is an extremely positive day for children and young people and we look forward to supporting the Coimisiún in any way we can.”

ISPCC | Childline.ie and acclaimed author and illustrator
Katie O’Donoghue to host series of free resilience-boosting webinars

Digital sessions will equip parents and teachers of primary school children with tools to bolster resilience and provide tips to help manage anxiety 

March 14, 2023 – ISPCC and author and illustrator, Katie O’Donoghue are set to host a series of free webinars for parents and teachers that will provide them tools and tips to help bolster children’s resilience and manage anxiety.  The first in the series which is primarily for parents, will take place on March 28th, 2023.    

 

At ISPCC, we know what is worrying children and young people in Ireland; we know what is on their minds and we know how to support them. Through this series of bespoke webinars, parents and teachers will learn skills and strategies for children between five and 12 years of age who are feeling anxious and who would benefit from a boost in confidence to strengthen their resilience.   

 

ISPCC parenting leads will be joined by author, illustrator and art psychotherapist Katie O’Donoghue, whose second book The Little Otter Who Tried has recently been published by Gill Books.   

 

The Little Otter Who Tried is a beautifully illustrated book that aims to teach children valuable lessons about self-care, resilience and how to ask for help; vital lessons that will be covered throughout the webinar series. Participants will also gain a better understanding of resilience, as well as increased knowledge of coping skills to support children and a toolkit of resources.  

 

Webinar details are: 

Parents – Building Resilience 

March 28th, 7-8pm 

Parents – Managing Anxiety 

April 25th, 7-8pm 

Teaching Professionals 

May 9th, 3-3:30pm where both topics will be covered.

Participants who register will also be in with a chance to win a signed copy of The Little Otter Who Tried. 

To register, follow this link: https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/[email protected]184987285

 

ISPCC response to the sentencing today of a man and woman who have been jailed over the rape and abuse of her children


“ISPCC shares the shock and distress felt by so many on hearing the horrifying details of rape and abuse carried out by a man and a woman on her young children following their sentencing at the Central Criminal Court today.  

Fiona Jennings, ISPCC, Head of Policy and Public Affairs said: “Parents and those in a parenting role are expected to protect their children and keep them safe, yet in this case it is clear from the sentences handed down that these children did not experience such protection. 

 “We join with Mr Justice David Keane in paying tribute to the young children at the centre of the case who showed such bravery in recounting the horrendous abuse they were subjected to at such a young age.” 

 ISPCC welcomes the lengthy sentences handed down to both perpetrators of this shocking abuse and strongly condemns the heinous crimes carried out against these young children. Any child who has been sexually abused must be offered and receive support in a timely manner.  

 The specialist interviewers must also be commended for their diligence in gathering such harrowing testimony to secure such a substantial sentence. However, it is not acceptable that it took eight years to get to trial and for the children to have to wait such a lengthy period to access justice.  

 ISPCC reiterates its call for the Government to commit with haste to a national strategy for child sexual abuse as recommended by the Report of the Garda Síochána Inspectorate, Responding to Child Sexual Abuse, 2017. 

 It is generally accepted that the number of cases of abuse in this country are grossly under-reported and the ISPCC strongly encourages anyone who has concerns about a child to help them disclose these horrific crimes to the authorities.  

 Such crimes can be reported by contacting An Garda Síochána’s Child Sexual Abuse Reporting Phone Line, which is a dedicated phone line for the reporting of child sexual abuse, on 1800 555 222.   

Children must always be protected, and we must do everything we can to ensure that we live in a society that puts children and their needs and rights at the heart of all we do. 

ISPCC calls for Government commitment to meaningful investment in mental health provision for children and young people

ISPCC calls for Government commitment to meaningful investment in mental health provision for children and young people

Children’s mental health was in the spotlight again today as the Children’s Rights Alliance (CRA) launched its Report Card 2023 and for the second consecutive year awarded the Government an ‘E’ grade in relation to youth mental health.

Children have a right to appropriate care, and at ISPCC we know the importance of prevention and early intervention. The Government must commit to a policy of both targeted and universal investment in mental health service provision for children and young people. 

We reiterate our call for the Government to commit with haste to the implementation of the Pathfinder interdepartmental unit on youth mental health in order to align and streamline the mental health supports across various government departments. 

ISPCC CEO John Church says “This has been a key policy ask of the ISPCC since it was first recommended in the National Youth Mental Health Task Force Report in 2017, of which ISPCC was a member. There can be no further delay if we are to truly recognise the health rights of children and young people and to employ best efforts to have a world-class mental health service.”

It is a mammoth task to issue an annual report card and we commend the CRA for all its efforts in doing so. 

The Government’s ‘E’ rating in this year’s CRA’s report card – a grade awarded due to the long waiting lists facing young people requiring support from Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) – shows the need for this administration to demonstrate that it considers the mental health of children and young people to be a key priority. 

ISPCC shared the sense of shock felt by many on the publication of the interim report by the Mental Health Commission into the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service in January. 

CAMHS is illustrative of the crisis facing the health service. Yet, sadly, this is not a surprise for those of us working to support children and young people. 

The ability of CAMHS to provide a meaningful service is also hampered by staffing issues and the slow pace of digital transformation. A digital system that allows for timely monitoring and continuity of care is essential. As it stands, the system is utterly broken, despite the best efforts of those working within it. 

At ISPCC, mental health concerns are one of the primary reasons why children and young people contact us. Calls on mental and emotional health are a top profile in our 24/7 Childline Listening Service. 

In terms of online safety we are delighted to see the Government’s efforts recognised by the awarding of a ‘A’ grade. The Online Safety and Media Regulation Act is a crucial piece of legislation designed to improve the safety and experience of children and young people in the ever-evolving digital environment. However, we strongly believe that there is more work to be done in this area.

We need an updated action plan on online safety, the Online Safety Commissioner must be sufficiently resourced and proposed binding codes must be fit for purpose. 

It is imperative that children and young people can always be safe online, however we know from those who contact Childline that this is not always the case.

Our partner in the Irish Safer Internet Centre, Hotline.ie has helped many of those young people who have been the victims of ‘intimate image abuse’ (IIA) as operators of the reporting mechanism for such images. Under the Harassment, Harmful Communications and Related Offences Act, it is an offence to share an intimate image or video of a person without their consent. 

This is a complicated issue, and ISPCC is grateful to have been involved in consultations regarding the revision of the Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) programme for Junior Cycle in post-primary schools. programme. We believe this is a key opportunity for the curriculum to be modernised and respond to the needs of children and young people.

It is crucial that we teach our children how to manage their relationships in a digital world. 

“A truly innovative and dynamic new RSE programme will empower all children and young people, by making them familiar with the concept of sexuality and the distinction between healthy and unhealthy, or inappropriate relationships,” says ISPCC CEO John Church. “This could assist in the prevention of, or early intervention in, potential child sexual abuse cases happening in future.”

 

ISPCC launches Lets Sweat It Together National Campaign

Irish rugby heroes Brittany Hogan and Caelan Doris (pictured above) join forces with Childline by ISPCC as they reveal their childhood concerns and urge the nation to get chatting

For rugby star Brittany Hogan, lining up for ISPCC’s latest fundraising campaign, Let’s Sweat it Together, is the perfect tribute to her childhood self. “Unfortunately, I was once that child in need, desperate for someone to talk to but was not sure how to approach my feelings or thoughts. Worries are so personal to each one of us and it is important to not bottle them up inside.

“I am proud to be supporting Childline on this fantastic campaign spreading awareness of the importance of chatting and what better way than getting outside and sweating those worries out together.”

While her fellow rugby player Caelan Doris had a different experience growing up, he understands the importance of sharing worries with loved ones. “Having psychotherapists as parents, I was always encouraged to be open about my feelings and discuss any worries or concerns that I had but it’s only in the last few years that I’ve started doing it.

“It can be uncomfortable to talk about tricky things but the more I do it, the more I see the benefit in it. I’ve also realised that everyone has their own struggles and that our worries and anxieties are often quite similar which has been reassuring in not feeling alone or different.”

About Let’s Sweat It Together

From March 27 to April 2, Childline by ISPCC is calling on schools, businesses and individuals to take part in our latest campaign by walking a lap while having a chat with a friend, family member or colleague.

Let’s Sweat it Together was developed in response to the worries of callers to Childline. Childline is Ireland’s only 24/7 free listening service for children and young people. We know from talking to children and young people that their worries range from sibling rivalry and differences in music tastes to exam anxiety, confusion about sexuality and concerns about a friend self-harming.

  • “I’m confused about my sexuality”
  • “My friend is self-harming and I’m worried”
  • “My sister gets more praise than me”
  • “I’m worried about failing the Leaving Cert”
  • “I have some questions about puberty”
  • “How are babies made?”

We provide a supportive listening ear for all those worries and anything else on the minds of our callers.

John Church, ISPCC CEO commented on the launch: “As children around the country are entering a period of high pressure with exam season, we want to remind them that if a worry is big to you, it’s big to us at Childline. That’s why we are encouraging individuals, schools and businesses to join us from March 27 to April 2 and ‘Let’s Sweat it Together’ by having a lap and a chat with a friend, family member or colleague.”

ISPCC needs to raise up to 75% of its funding each year from donations and relies on the generosity of people right across Ireland.  The charity is grateful for all support which helps ensure its services and supports are available to children and young people 24 hours a day, every day.

To donate to Childline’s ‘Let’s Sweat it Together’ campaign or to find out more information on how to sign your school or business up, visit: https://ispcc.enthuse.com/profile

Get Involved

ISPCC delighted to see one of its key recommendations included in the report by the Committee on Education, Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science on Mental Health Supports in Schools and Tertiary Education

ISPCC delighted to see one of its key recommendations included in the report by the Committee on Education, Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science on Mental Health Supports in Schools and Tertiary Education

ISPCC welcomes the publication of the Committee on Education, Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science’s report on Mental Health Supports in Schools and Tertiary Education.

We are pleased to see the Committee take on a recommendation from ISPCC that the youth mental health pathfinder project be commenced without further delay. ISPCC was a member of the Youth Mental Health Taskforce where this recommendation was originally mooted back in 2017. 

“We firmly believe that if we are to solve the crisis of our child and adolescent mental health service, the initiation of this unit is crucial. This week has seen the harrowing state of CAMHS being brought into focus in the interim report of the Mental Health Commission,” says CEO John Church. “The UN Committee on the Rights of the Child in its State examination of Ireland struggled to understand how we have such long waiting lists for these services.”

The initiation of the unit would address the relevant gaps and challenges in this cross-cutting area, ultimately improving whole of government approach. 

Furthermore, we believe that it’s essential that mental health be a core focus of the next national policy framework for children and young people, with funding ring-fenced for both universal and targeted services. 

It is fantastic to see the Education Committee recommend that ring-fenced funding be made available to non-statutory mental health supports for students to address the overflow of demand on the statutory services and to reduce waiting times. ISPCC provides many services already that could support Government to meet such a demand.

We are grateful that our Childline service was recognised by Mr Justice Clarence Nelson at the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child in Geneva at Ireland’s State examination. We are here for all children and they can reach out for any reason.

ISPCC has supported children, young people and families since its inception in 1956 and next month it will be 35 years since its flagship service, Childline, began. Since then, Childline has developed with the times and now offers a suite of multi-channel services delivered both face-to-face and non-face-to-face, responding to the needs of children and young people. 

We are delighted to see that the Committee recommends that wellbeing supports be an integral part of the curriculum and that there be mandatory training on many areas including bullying.  This is a key policy area for ISPCC and we developed our Shield Anti-Bullying programme as a direct response to the issue of bullying and how it was impacting the mental and emotional health and wellbeing of children. 

We were delighted to collaborate with DCU’s Anti-Bullying Centre and our Irish Safer Internet Centre partners Webwise on the Shield programme

For real reform in the area of child and youth mental health, it is imperative that we understand the issues at play, that all relevant stakeholders work together and that the requisite resources are put in place. 

 

Notes to Editors:

ISPCC Head of Policy and Public Affairs Fiona Jennings is available for comment or interview. 

For more information, please contact Rowena Walsh, ISPCC Marketing and Communications Coordinator. Tel: 087 3157552 

Email: [email protected]

About ISPCC

ISPCC is a national charity dedicated to enhancing the lives of children and young people; they are at the heart of everything we do.  We provide the Childline suite of services. 

Our child-centred services, programmes and supports are focused on strengthening resilience and developing coping competencies.  

 Any child or young person in Ireland up to and including those aged 18 years of age can contact Childline’s 24-hour support line by live chat – Childline.ie or calling 1800 66 66 66.

Our 24/7 Childline listening support service involves professionally trained facilitators actively listening, supporting and empowering children and young people. Our Childline Therapeutic Support Services offers children and young people a more long-term, personalised individual plan of support depending on their level of need and presenting issues. 

ISPCC’s Digital Mental Health and Wellbeing programmes aim to reduce anxiety for children and young people, as well as helping their parents/carers to manage their own anxiety while supporting their anxious child or teenager. These CBT-based programmes have been developed by SilverCloud, a leading digital mental health provider.

Smart Moves is our evidence-based resilience programme specifically focused on the transition from primary school to post-primary school. Best practice tells us that students need to be supported not just before they transition from primary school to post-primary school, but also during and after.

ISPCC receives ‘triple lock’ status again

ISPCC receives ‘triple lock’ status again

We are delighted to announce ISPCC has yet again been awarded ‘Triple Lock’ status by Charities Institute Ireland (CII).

This status is awarded to charities that uphold the highest standards in transparent reporting, ethical fundraising and strong governance structures. This recognition is the gold standard for Irish charities to offer assurances to donors, members and the general public.

To achieve the Triple Lock, we adhered to the following guidelines regarding ethical fundraising, financial reporting and governance:

• we adopt the Guidelines for Charitable Organisations for Fundraising to the Public. Our staff, volunteers and anyone else fundraising on our behalf are fully trained on the requirements and we have implemented controls to ensure that all our fundraising practices are fully in line with the Guidelines

• We prepare an annual report and financial statements in full compliance with the Charity SORP (Standard of Reporting Practice under FRS102).

• Our board has formally adopted the ‘Charities Governance Code. This means that we comply with the six principles of governance. These require that we advance charitable purpose, behave with integrity, lead people, exercise control, work effectively and are accountable 

ISPCC response to the release of the interim report by the Mental Health Commission into the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS)

ISPCC response to the release of the interim report by the Mental Health Commission into the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS)

ISPCC shares the sense of shock felt by many on the publication of the interim report by the Mental Health Commission into the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS). 

The finding that CAMHS has left more than 100 children without care for up to two years is, as Tánaiste Micheál Martin says, ‘unacceptable’. 

In light of these findings, it is timely that Minister O’Gorman and his officials will be examined by the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child in Geneva tomorrow and Wednesday. Mental health will be a key focus there, as it needs to be at home. 

The fact that the Mental Health Commission felt compelled to publish an interim report on CAMHS is illustrative of the crisis facing the service. Yet, sadly, this is not a surprise for those of us working to support children and young people. 

For many parents/carers, it comes as a relief when their child is receiving support from CAMHS. “However, we read that some of these children are ‘lost children’ within the system,” says Fiona Jennings, ISPCC Head of Policy and Public Affairs. 

“It is truly frightening that children who have been on medication are not receiving ongoing assessments to ascertain the impact of such medication on their mental health and behaviour. In such circumstances, how can it be judged whether these interventions are making a meaningful and positive difference to the mental health of the child or young person?” 

The ability of CAMHS to provide a meaningful service is also hampered by staffing issues and the slow pace of digital transformation. A digital system that allows for timely monitoring and continuity of care is essential. As it stands, the system is utterly broken, despite the best efforts of those working within it. 

While we will always need CAMHS, it needs to be considered what can actually be done with the service in the short term to alleviate this current crisis, and we strongly suggest that there is a rethink of the CAMHS service delivery model; children and young people ought to be able to avail of such a service when and where they need it.  

At ISPCC, mental health concerns are one of the primary reasons why children and young people contact us. Calls on mental and emotional health was a top profile in our 24/7 Childline Listening Service over the Christmas period. 

Children have a right to appropriate care, and at ISPCC we know the importance of prevention and early intervention. 

We call on the Government to commit to a policy of both targeted and universal investment in mental health service provision. It needs to be a core focus in the next national children’s strategy. 

ISPCC reiterates its call for the Government to commit with haste to the implementation of the Pathfinder interdepartmental unit on youth mental health in order to align and streamline the mental health supports across various government departments. 

Notes to Editors:

ISPCC Head of Policy and Public Affairs Fiona Jennings is available for comment or interview. 

 

For more information, please contact Rowena Walsh, ISPCC Marketing and Communications Coordinator. Tel: 087 3157552 

Email: [email protected]

 

About ISPCC

ISPCC is a charity dedicated to enhancing the lives of children and young people.

The charity provides a suite of Childline services and supports for children and young people up to and including those aged 18 years of age.  Childline’s 24-hour support line can be contacted for FREE, 365 days a year 24/7.  Children can chat online at childline.ie or call 1800 66 66 66.

ISPCC provide services, supports and programmes for parents/carers and those working or volunteering in child and youth settings e.g. schools, clubs, crèches etc.

Our CBT-based programmes by Silvercloud, a leading digital mental health provider, Supporting an Anxious Child and Supporting an Anxious Teen provide essential support for parents/carers and teens experiencing anxiety.