Child Protection

Last updated: Wed, Feb 25th, 2026 08:19

Child protection must be a priority for every school and must be at the core of all its activities. Under the terms of the Children First Act 2015 all schools are legally required to ensure that they provide a safe environment for children.

Following extensive consultation with the education partners updated  Child Protection Procedures for Schools 2025 have been published. All Boards of Management are obliged to adopt the update Child protect Procedures for Schools 2025 prior to the end of the 2026 calendar year.

Chapter 4 of the Procedures addresses Roles and Responsibilities which include:

  • 4.5 Role of the Board of Management

  • 4.6 Role of the Chairperson of the Board of Management

4.5 Role of the Board of Management

4.5.1 Statutory Obligations

The main statutory obligations on a board of management under the Children First Act 2015 are to:

  •  Ensure, as far as practicable, that children are safe from harm while availing of the school’s services (i.e. while attending the school or while participating in school activities).

  • Carry out an assessment of any potential for harm to children while they are attending the school or while they are participating in school activities (this is known as a risk assessment).

  • Prepare and display a written Child Safeguarding Statement (which includes a risk assessment) in accordance with the requirements of the Act.

  • Appoint a “relevant person” as the first point of contact in respect of the school’s Child Safeguarding Statement. Children First Guidance 2017 requires that the DLP shall be appointed in this role.

  • Provide a copy of its Child Safeguarding Statement to members of school personnel and, where requested to parents, members of the public and to Tusla.

4.5.2 Implementation of Procedures

Boards of management are responsible for ensuring that the child safeguarding requirements of these procedures are implemented in full and must exercise appropriate oversight in this regard. The board of management shall also ensure that all the oversight requirements of these procedures, including those set out in chapter 12, are met in full by the board of management.

4.5.3 Confidentiality

Board of management members are also reminded of their duty to maintain the confidentiality of board meetings and must not disclose or discuss matters discussed at board meetings unless explicitly authorised by the board of management to do so. A board member who breaches this requirement may be removed from the board of management by the patron in accordance with the relevant provisions of section 16 of the Education Act 1998. They may not be protected in any legal proceedings taken against him or her by the general indemnity provided to board of management members under section 14(7) of the Education Act 1998. Any information or details that might identify a child or member of school personnel should not be recorded in the minutes of board of management meetings.

 4.6 Role of the Chairperson of the Board of Management

4.6.1 Allegation of Abuse Against the DLP

Where there is an allegation of abuse against the DLP, the chairperson of the board of management or, in schools where the ETB is the employer, the Chief Executive Officer or their delegate, shall assume the role normally undertaken by the DLP under section 5.3 and shall follow the procedures as set out in that section

(Child Protection Procedures for Schools 2025)

All members of the Board of Management should familiarise themselves with the Child Protection Procedures for Schools 2025 and avail of training in this area.

Department Materials and Resources

All boards of management are advised that the Department of Education and Youth provides a section on their website Child Protection Procedures in Schools where all  up to date resources and materials may be accessed.