NEW GUIDELINES for agencies involved with the care of children are to be issued within weeks, Minister for Children Frances Fitzgerald said yesterday.
The guidelines, to be known as National Guidance 2011, will inform all those who share responsibility for children, she said.
The guidelines are to be published in advance of the setting up of a new child protection agency, which is to assume responsibility for child protection and welfare services from the HSE.
She expects the proposed referendum on the rights of children to be held early next year, a slight slippage on earlier expectations, but said the Government remained strongly committed to the referendum.
She added the HSE has been experiencing major difficulties in the provision of child welfare services and the new guidance would provide a clear course of action for service providers. The guidance is expected to include new criteria on transparency and address issues such as child welfare and protection, early childhood education, early intervention of services and childhood obesity.
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