At my request, the National Board for Safeguarding Children in the
Catholic Church in Ireland (NBSCCCI) recently carried out a Review of
Safeguarding Practice in the Archdiocese of Armagh.
On behalf of the
Archdiocese I accept this Report in its entirety and, with the
cooperation of our safeguarding personnel, I undertake to act promptly
on its recommendations.
With me here today, to launch this Report, are
Coadjutor Archbishop Eamon Martin, Mr Pat McGlew (Director of
Safeguarding) and Mrs Eleanor Kelly (Training Coordinator). I also
welcome Mrs Edel O’Neill (Chair of the diocesan Safeguarding Committee).
The Review finds that this diocese is fully committed to safeguarding
children and young people. Nevertheless, my first thoughts today are
with those who were abused. ‘I know that for you, survivors of abuse
and your families, days such as today are especially difficult. You have
suffered terribly and I am truly sorry. I pray for you and will work to
ensure that you are supported on your journey towards healing and
peace’.
The Review acknowledges that all current child protection concerns
are reported fully and without delay to the police and social services.
The requirement to report is embedded in our practice.
The statutory
agencies, North and South, have confirmed “their considerable
satisfaction” with the quality of communication and information-sharing
with the Safeguarding Office of the Archdiocese.
The Review endorses our current policy and procedures. I am reassured
that safeguarding practice in the Archdiocese conforms to the highest
national standards. Forty five out of the forty eight assessment
criteria have been fully met and the remaining three have been partially
met.
At all times, whenever and wherever children are involved in Church activities, ‘vigilance’ is our watchword.
We must continue to do all we can to reach out to those who have suffered. The Archdiocese of Armagh supports the work of Towards Healing (contact
details below), a counselling and psychotherapy service for people who
have been abused as children by persons working for the Catholic Church
in Ireland. I also look forward to the provision, early in 2014, of Towards Peace, a new
service offering spiritual support to those whose faith in God and in
the Church has been affected by their experience of sexual abuse.
I thank Ms Teresa Devlin and the team who carried out this thorough
review. I am immensely grateful to the personnel of the Safeguarding
Office, the Advisory Panel, the Safeguarding Committee, Trainers, and
the multitude of lay representatives and clergy who have worked hard to
reach these high standards. In the report they are described as “highly
capable and motivated” people. Our combined efforts exemplify a local
Church, working together, in the interests of children and young people.
While we acknowledge the Report’s findings that in the past the
response was not as prompt, robust and coordinated as in the present, we
will continue to do all we can to ensure that current high standards of
safeguarding practice are maintained. As I have already stated, we must
remain attentive and vigilant. Our children, and especially those who
have suffered, deserve no less.
Contact numbers for Towards Healing, Designated persons and other statutory agencies are shown below.
Towards Healing
Website www.towardshealing.ie
Freephone 1800 303 416 (Republic of Ireland)
Freephone 0800 096 3315 (Northern Ireland/UK)
We also have a mobile number for texting purposes for our hearing impaired service users only: 085-8022859.
From Tuesday, 10 December 2013, the Towards Healing service will
provide extended opening hours, over the following three days, and the
service will operate on an extended hours basis from 11.00 am to 01.00
am on 10, 11 and 12 December 2013.
Diocesan Designated Officers
Pat McGlew Tel: (028/048) 3752 5592
Mob: 0044 78 4110 1687
Email: safeguardingdirector@archdioceseofarmagh.com
Eleanor Kelly Tel: (028/048) 3752 5592
Mob: 0044 75 8432 3138
Email: ekelly@archdioceseofarmagh.com
PSNI 0845 600 8000
An Garda Síochána
Dundalk 042 933 5577
Drogheda 041 983 6919
Ardee 041 685 3222
HSE
Dundalk 042 939 2200
Drogheda 041 983 3163
HSE Trusts
SHSST 0800 783 7745
NHSST 0300 123 4333
WHSST 0287 131 4090
NSPCC Childline 0800 1111
ISPCC Childline 1800 666 666