Message from the Minister for Education, Helen McEntee TD
The protection and welfare of children is of paramount importance for every school, and I am very pleased to launch these updated Child Protection Procedures for Schools 2025.
The obligations and responsibilities which arise from child protection procedures are taken very seriously by our schools and there is a very strong culture of child protection across the school sector.
These updated procedures build on the previous Child Protection Procedures for Primary and PostPrimary Schools 2017 (updated 2023) and take account of the statutory obligations under the Children First Act, 2015 and the Children First: National Guidance for the Protection and Welfare of Children 2017.
As in the earlier procedures, these procedures set out requirements to ensure that reporting procedures in line with Children First are in place and that school personnel know how to recognise and report alleged child protection concerns, and that parents/guardians and all school personnel are aware of the school’s child protection and safeguarding procedures. The procedures provide for the development of a child safeguarding statement (which includes a risk assessment), and appointment of a designated liaison person and deputy designated liaison person.
In addition, these procedures outline new requirements set out in the Addendum to Children First Guidelines (2025) around requirements to report retrospective abuse, take account of new legislation in place since the last update of the procedures, and provide guidance on communicating with parents and on record keeping.
These updated Child Protection Procedures 2025 have been published following extensive consultation with the education partners and I would like to express my sincere thanks to the education partners and all those involved in the development of the revisions to the procedures.
St Kieran’s College Documents 2026-2027
The Child Safeguarding Statement and Risk Assessment for St Kieran’s College was reviewed ratified by the Board of Management on 25th of August 2026.
Please click on the following link to view The Child Safeguarding Statement and Risk Assessment.
A copy of the school’s Child Safeguarding Statement and Risk Assessment is also available to parents on request by contacting the school office.
Please click on the link Notification to Parents regarding the Board of Management Review of the Child Safeguarding Statement for official notice to parents regarding the annual review of our Safeguarding Statement at that Board of Management meeting on 25th August 2026.
