Child Safeguarding Statement

Controls

• Current Children First training.
• Knowledge of reasonable grounds for concern and mandated reporting thresholds.
• Clear reporting and escalation processes.
• Consultation with Tusla where advice is required.
• Accurate clinical and safeguarding records.
• Professional supervision and safeguarding advice.
• Prompt action where there is an immediate risk.

Controls

• CORU professional standards and code of conduct.
• Clear professional boundaries and appropriate appointment structures.
• Parent or carer involvement.
• Consent and assent processes.
• A procedure for responding to allegations or concerns.
• Direct reporting to Tusla or An Garda Síochána where required.
• Notification to CORU, a university or another relevant body where appropriate.

Controls

• A written placement agreement with the education provider.
• A named practice educator and defined supervision plan.
• Supervision matched to the student’s competence and stage of training.
• Clear limits on the student’s role.
• No student having sole responsibility for safeguarding decisions.
• Regular placement review and immediate escalation of concerns.

Controls

• Parent or carer involvement based on the child’s age, needs and the appointment.
• A clear appointment purpose and structure.
• An appropriate clinical, school, home or online setting.
• Attention to visibility, privacy and professional boundaries.
• Clear records of who attended.
• No informal or unauthorised contact outside agreed professional routes.

Controls

• Physical assessment or support is explained before it takes place.
• Consent and child assent are sought where appropriate.
• Touch is limited to what is clinically necessary.
• The child’s communication, comfort and distress signals are monitored.
• The child or parent may ask to pause or stop.
• Physical contact is documented where clinically relevant.
• Students receive specific guidance on physical contact and boundaries.

Controls

• Child-led pacing, preparation and clear explanations.
• Parent or carer involvement where appropriate.
• Recognition of verbal and non-verbal communication.
• Sensory and communication adjustments.
• The option to pause, change or end an activity.
• No assessment or intervention continuing where it is unsafe or inappropriate.

Controls

• Awareness of behaviour, disclosures and signs of possible harm.
• Appropriate supervision within the service environment.
• Clear visitor and appointment arrangements.
• Separation from immediate risk where safe to do so.
• Reporting to Tusla or An Garda Síochána where required.
• Clear records of concerns and decisions.

Controls

• Cliniko Telehealth or another approved secure platform.
• Confirmation of who is present.
• Guidance on using a private space.
• Parent or carer involvement where appropriate.
• No recording without specific agreement and a clear lawful purpose.
• No contact through personal social media accounts.
• A clear procedure if a safeguarding concern arises online.
• Confirmation of the child’s location where needed for safety.

Controls

• Communication through approved business systems.
• No private social media contact with children.
• Parent or carer involvement in communication where appropriate.
• Photographs, video or audio only where necessary and with specific consent.
• Secure storage and a defined retention purpose.
• No student using a personal device to record or store client information.
• Prompt reporting of any data or safeguarding incident.

Controls

• Secure clinical records through Cliniko or another approved encrypted system.
• Role-based and limited access.
• Consent and information-sharing procedures.
• Only the information needed for the stated purpose is shared.
• Secure safeguarding records.
• Confidentiality agreements and supervised record access for students.
• No client records stored on personal devices.

Controls

• A clear agreement about the purpose and location of the visit.
• Parent or carer consent.
• Communication with the relevant school or setting.
• Clear responsibility for supervision and handover.
• Appropriate professional boundaries.
• Records of relevant observations, concerns and actions.
• Use of the setting’s safeguarding route alongside Belong OT procedures where appropriate.
• Direct reporting by Belong OT where required.

Controls

• Clear start and finish arrangements for appointments.
• Confirmation of the responsible parent, carer or staff member.
• No assumption that another adult has taken responsibility.
• Safe handover following appointments.
• Immediate action where the expected adult is unavailable.
• Documentation of any significant incident.

Controls

• A clear allegations and misconduct procedure.
• Parents, carers and professionals may report directly to Tusla or An Garda Síochána.
• Allegations involving a student may be shared with the education provider.
• Professional conduct concerns may be referred to CORU.
• Safeguarding advice and independent professional support will be sought.
• Child protection records remain separate from employment, placement or professional processes.

Controls

• Recognition that an adult’s retrospective disclosure may identify a current or future risk to a child.
• Consideration of whether a child may currently be at risk.
• Explanation of the limits of confidentiality.
• Reporting to Tusla where reasonable grounds for concern exist.
• Immediate contact with An Garda Síochána where there is an urgent risk.
• Secure recording and a clear rationale for decisions.

Belong OT may:

• Seek advice from Tusla.
• Make a child protection or welfare report to Tusla.
• Make a mandated report where the legal threshold is met.
• Make a non-mandated report where reasonable grounds for concern remain.
• Contact An Garda Síochána where there is an immediate or serious risk.
• Call 999 or 112 where urgent assistance is required.

Where appropriate and safe, parents or carers will usually be informed before a report is made.

They may not be informed first where:

• Doing so may place the child or another person at greater risk.
• It may interfere with an assessment or investigation.
• Tusla or An Garda Síochána advise against it.
• Another legal or safeguarding reason applies.

The reasons for reporting, not reporting, delaying notification or sharing information will be documented.

As a CORU-registered Occupational Therapist, Dearbhla O’Reilly Malone is a mandated person under the Children First Act 2015.

Where a concern reaches the threshold for mandated reporting, a mandated report will be made to Tusla. Mandated assistance will also be provided where formally requested and required under the Act.

Where the mandated threshold is not met but reasonable grounds for concern remain, a non-mandated report may still be made.

Belong OT may follow both the setting’s safeguarding arrangements and Belong OT’s own reporting responsibilities.

Belong OT retains responsibility for making a report where required. Responsibility will not be assumed to have transferred to the school or another professional.

An adult’s retrospective disclosure of childhood abuse may identify a current or future risk to a child. Belong OT will consider whether a child may currently be at risk and will report to Tusla where reasonable grounds for concern exist.

Concerns may be reported directly to:

• Tusla, the Child and Family Agency.
• An Garda Síochána where there is an immediate or criminal concern.
• CORU where the concern relates to professional conduct or fitness to practise.
• Another appropriate regulatory, professional or safeguarding body.

Concerns about a student will be considered through the child protection and welfare reporting procedure, the allegations procedure, the education provider’s placement procedure and any professional or disciplinary process that applies.

No. A child protection concern will not be delayed while an employment, placement, complaints or professional process is considered.