CHILD protection services could break down if teachers, doctors and other professionals are obliged to report suspicions of child abuse, social workers have warned.
The caution came at the annual conference of the Irish Association of Social Workers in Blessington, Co Wicklow. It voted to call on the Department of Health not to introduce mandatory reporting of all suspected child abuse, "if this will adversely impact on the level of service provided to victims of abuse, either adult victims or children".
Supporting the motion, Ms Margaret Power said child protection services were stretched already and could not handle the increased demand which would follow mandatory reporting.
Ms Bernie Price said the current child care system was already unable to cope with the demands on it.
Support for mandatory reporting "in specific, clearly defined circumstances" came from a former president of the association, Mr Frank Moran. The move would help to shatter an environment in which there was still a great deal of denial of what happened to children.
He was supported by other speakers who argued that lack of resources was not a good enough reason to oppose mandatory reporting. Standing orders did not allow the motion to be amended, and just over half those present abstained.
The conference also called for clear Department guidelines on dealing with suspected abuse of people with learning disabilities.
The practice of placing healthy children in hospitals because there was no foster care or residential care available was condemned.