High child suicide rates, worst child homelessness since the pandemic and “problematic” difference between supports provided to Ukrainian children and children arriving from other countries are among issues the Ombudsman for Children will raise with the United Nations on Wednesday
In a report to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, Niall Muldoon also notes a lack of supports for poor children attending non-Deis schools, ongoing failure to provide legal gender recognition to transgender children under 16 and the impact of inadequate staffing in areas such as health, mental health and social work on vulnerable children.
The Ombudsman for Children’s Office is on Wednesday also submitting a report based on children’s voices, Pieces of U’s. These come in advance of the Republic being examined by the UN committee on compliance with the Convention on the Rights of the Child, January 2023.
Dr Muldoon said while there had been “progress” on realising children’s rights, issues raised highlight different ways in which the State continues to “fall short” when it comes to upholding those rights.
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“Thirty years on from Ireland’s ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, a significant gear change by the State and the Government is needed to address persistent shortfalls in consideration of children and their rights in decisions that affect them,” said Dr Muldoon.
“Rarely are children at the top of the list of considerations. The pandemic demonstrated how the Government and the State can take innovative approaches, but unfortunately this capacity for innovation still has not been adequately applied to decisions affecting children. A big shift is needed to mainstream children’s rights.”
Death by suicide
His report raises concerns about children’s rights under numerous headings, including in direct provision, homelessness accommodation, accessing necessary services and therapeutic interventions in school.
“We remain concerned that the number of children who die by suicide in Ireland is higher than the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development average, 116 with provisional figures indicating that suicide numbers among children and young people have increased in 2021 following a welcome reduction in 2020.
“The State should bring forward amendments to the Gender Recognition Act 2015 to simplify the process for 16- and 17-year-olds to apply for a gender recognition certificate.”
