Mandatory Reporting

Mission Statement

To provide a quality service by offering protection to vulnerable children and adolescents under the age of eighteen years, who have been abused and/or neglected or who are at risk of being abused and/or neglected.

The Service

Child Protection Services deal with cases of abuse and severe neglect of children, and when a child seems to be suffering from, or is at risk of, significant harm.

Child Protection Services investigate referrals received from various sources such as schools, Police, medical doctors, and other professionals, from calls received on Supportline 179, as well as from the general public. Social workers carry out investigations and assessments whenever there are allegations that a child is suffering, or is at risk of suffering, from significant harm resulting from physical, sexual, emotional abuse and/or neglect.

Aims and Objectives

To carry out an investigative assessment after receiving a referral concerning a minor who may be at risk of abuse and/or neglect;
To take measures for the emergency protection of children who are suffering from actual/alleged child abuse/neglect where this is necessary;
To offer long-term follow-up work with children and their families where abuse and/or neglect are verified;
To provide a procedural framework for the protection of children who are suffering, or are in danger of suffering abuse and/or neglect;
To develop and promote a multi-disciplinary approach to the identification, investigation, assessment and follow-up of cases of child abuse and/or neglect;
To formulate inter-agency child protection guidelines and to work in liaison with the concerned agencies towards negotiating these guidelines and applying them;
To provide consultative services to agencies/organisations which come across cases of actual/suspected child abuse and/or neglect;
To gather and integrate statistics concerned with issues of child abuse and/or neglect;
To provide information and practical training to persons in contact with situations of child abuse and/or neglect.
To work towards developing a society with zero tolerance to child abuse and neglect.