Any person - especially any professional - who suspects that a child is being abused or is at risk of abuse has a responsibility to report their concerns to the health board or to the Garda.
Where a child seems to be at immediate and serious risk, and no social worker is available, the Garda should be contacted without waiting for health board intervention.
Any professional who suspects child abuse and who is about to report the matter to the health board should inform the child's family of this unless to do so would put the child at further risk.
All organisations, statutory and voluntary, have an overall responsibility to safeguard children. They should designate an employee or volunteer to report allegations of child abuse to the authorities.
If an organisation decides not to make a report to the authorities it must give its reasons, in writing, to the employee or volunteer who originally raised concerns and must tell that person that he or she is entitled to make an individual complaint to the health board or Garda.
The names of children about whom there are concerns should be included on a register by the health board, and the child's case should be reviewed every six months.