The Ombudsman for Children’s Office (OCO) continued to receive a high volume of complaints about children’s public services last year, with 1,772 contacts about complaints made to the Office.
The OCO’s Annual Report for 2024 ‘Tomorrow Starts with Us’, published on Thursday, May 22nd, shows that the complaints are becoming more complex, with almost one in five relating to more than one agency, and a third relating to multiple categories of concern. Education remains the most complained about issue to the OCO at 33%, followed by Tusla (19%) and complaints about children’s health services (15%), including a lack of access to an Assessment of Need.
This Annual Report marked the 20th year since the OCO was established in 2004 to protect and promote the rights of children in Ireland. Many of the same issues for children are still coming up today, emphasising the need for the full and direct incorporation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) into Irish law.
“The report features the case of six-year-old Enda (name changed to protect identity), whose mother contacted us when her son was locked in a room at school due to his disruptive behaviour,” a spokesperson said. “Enda’s story highlights the importance of strong guidelines around Behaviours of Concern at school, which the OCO has engaged with the Department of Education on throughout the year”.
PUTTING CHILDREN FIRST
The Ombudsman for Children, Dr Niall Muldoon, stated that in the ‘current climate of uncertainty and change’, it was more important than ever ‘for the State to bed down its commitment on children’s rights’.
“Incorporation is the most important thing we can do to protect and safeguard the rights of all children in Ireland. Every issue we highlight in our Annual Report leads us back to the need to give real force to the international obligations we have already signed up to. It will put children and their rights at the heart of every decision within the public and civil service and gives us a stronger basis to ensure we are keeping our promises to children”.
He continued: “Ireland is now at a crossroads of what can be achieved for children and this Office will continue to push for the rights of children to be the signpost that is followed at all times. By doing that we can bring to life the Government’s promise to make Ireland the best place in Europe for children to grow up.”
Elsewhere in the report, it’s outlined how a change to the eligibility criteria on the application form for the Long-Term Illness Scheme for children with ADHD has made a huge difference for families who contacted us when they were told they weren’t eligible.
During 2024, the OCO engaged with almost 2,500 children through Rights Education workshops and school visits around the country, and continued important outreach work in Direct Provision and accommodation centres, Oberstown Children’s Detention Campus, CAMHS and community and voluntary centres.
