Now is the time for action on Child protection
By passing the referendum the people have stated clearly their belief in the rights of the child. Now the government must match this commitment with action. Now is the time to invest in communities and invest in families.
Green Party Spokesperson for Children and front-line worker in children's protection, Patrick Costello stated: "The referendum's support of child protection must be made real by ensuring efficient services and adequate supports for families. If we as a country are to be serious about protecting children, we must start by tackling inequality, poverty and social exclusion"
Patrick Costello further stated : "There are no quick fixes, and vulnerable families rarely face only one difficulty. However, there are proven services and interventions that can prevent more complex problems arising and reduce the need for children to come into care at all. Investing in service such as parenting education, both community and home based parent and family support, community addiction services and community development services will promote more efficient social services that deal with problems before they become a crisis."
"Neglect has consistently been the most common reason for children coming into care. This neglect is a reflection of a range of social problems that arise in vulnerable communities. If we are serious about protecting children we need to protect the whole community" concluded Patrick Costello
We need to ensure that those who can pay do pay. The Fine Gael and Labour government have shown in their deeply regressive budget last year that the compromises they have reached only end up protecting the rich at the expense of the vulnerable. Their task is harder now given the constrained public finances, but it is not impossible. They should look at innovative ways of financing investment in communities, such as the Social Impact Bonds currently piloting in the UK.
ENDS
For Further Information Contact Patrick Costello