R E P O R T C A R D 2 0 1 0 The Children’s Rights Alliance Report Card 2010 is the second of a new annual publication that reviews and grades the Irish Government in implementing its own commitments to children. These commitments are found in key Government documents, including Towards 2016 and the Programme for Government . In this second edition, the Alliance has focused on the areas of education, material wellbeing, health and safeguarding childhood. With over 90 non-governmental organisations in its membership, and as a designated Social Partner, it is well- placed to provide an honest evaluation of Ireland’s treatment of its children. C h i l d The Children’s Rights Alliance is a coalition of over 90 non-governmental r e n ’ s organisations (NGOs) working to secure the rights and needs of children in Ireland, R i g h by campaigning for the full implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights t s A l l i of the Child (UNCRC). It aims to improve the lives of all children under 18, through a n c securing the necessary changes in Ireland’s laws, policies and services. e Children’s Rights Alliance REPORT CARD 2010 4 Upper Mount Street Dublin 2 Ireland Tel: +353.1.662 9400 Email: [email protected] Web: www.childrensrights.ie LIST OF ALLIANCE MEMBERS Alcohol Action Ireland Irish National Organisation of the Unemployed Amnesty International Irish National Teachers Organisation Ana Liffey Children’s Project Irish Penal Reform Trust The Children’s Rights Alliance is a coalition of over 90 non-governmental organisations The Ark, a cultural centre for children Irish Refugee Council (NGOs) working to secure the rights and needs of children in Ireland, by campaigning for Assoc. for Criminal Justice Research & Development Irish Traveller Movement the full implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. It aims to improve Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland Irish Youth Foundation ATD Fourth World Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children the lives of all children under 18, through securing the necessary changes in Ireland’s laws, Barnardos (ISPCC) policies and services. Barretstown Jack & Jill Children’s Foundation Belongto Jesuit Centre for Faith & Justice Membership Border Counties Childcare Network Junglebox FDYS CARI Kids’ Own Publishing Partnership The Alliance was formally established in March 1995. Many of its member organisations are prominent in Catholic Guides of Ireland Kilbarrack Youth Project the children’s sector – working directly with children on a daily basis across the country. The Alliance’s Catholic Youth Care La Leche League of Ireland policies, projects and activities are developed through ongoing collaboration and consultation with its Childminding Ireland Lifestart National Office member organisations. Children in Hospital Ireland Mary Immaculate College City of Dublin YMCA Matt Talbot Community Trust CityArts Miss Carr’s Children’s Home Vision COPE Galway Mothers’ Union Crosscare Aftercare Unit Mounttown Neighbourhood Youth Project Ireland will be one of the best places in the world to be a child Crosscare Drug & Alcohol Awareness Programme National Association for Parent Support DIT –School of Social Sciences & Legal Studies National Children’s Nurseries Association Down Syndrome Ireland National Parents Council (Post-Primary) Mission Dublin Rape Crisis Centre National Parents Council (Primary) Dun Laoghaire Refugee Project National Youth Council of Ireland To realise the rights of children in Ireland through securing the full implementation of the UN Convention Educate Together National Organisation for the Treatment of Abusers on the Rights of the Child Education Department UCD (NOTA) Enable Ireland OPEN Focus Ireland One Family Forbairt Naíonraí Teo One in Four 25 January 2010 Foróige Parentline Gay and Lesbian Equality Network (GLEN) Pavee Point ©2010 Children’s Rights Alliance – Republic of Ireland Limited Headstrong Peter McVerry Trust The Children’s Rights Alliance is a registered charity – CHY No. 11541 Home Start National Office Ireland PLANET Irish Assoc. of Young People in Care (IAYPIC) Psychological Society of Ireland ISBN 0-9553005-3-3 Irish Secondary Student’s Union (ISSU) Saoirse Housing Association 978-0-9553005-3-0 Inclusion Ireland SAOL Project – SAOL Beag Children’s Centre Inspire Ireland Foundation Ltd Society of St. Vincent de Paul For any enquiries or to obtain additional copies of Report Card 2010, please contact: Integrating Ireland SPARK (Support Project for Adolescent Refugee Kids) International Adoption Association Spunout.ie Children’s Rights Alliance IPPA, the Early Childhood Organisation St. Nicholas Montessori College 4 Upper Mount Street Irish Autism Action St. Nicholas Montessori Society Dublin 2 Irish Association of Hospital Play Staff Step by Step Child & Family Project Ireland Irish Association of Social Care Workers Sugradh Irish Association of Social Workers Teen Counselling Tel: +353.1.662 9400 Irish Association of Suicidology Treoir Email: [email protected] Irish Centre for Human Rights, NUIG UNICEF Ireland Web: www.childrensrights.ie Irish Congress of Trade Unions YAP (Youth Advocate Programme) Ireland Irish Council for Civil Liberties Youth Initiative in Partnership The Alliance grants permission for the reproduction of quotations from this text, provided due acknowledgement of the source is made and provided Irish Foster Care Association Youth Work Ireland such citations do not exceed 400 words in length. This publication may be reproduced in full or in part if accompanied by the following citation: Irish Girl Guides Children’s Rights Alliance Report Card 2010. FOREWORD 2 INTRODUCTION 4 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 5 GRADING FOR ALLIANCE REPORT CARD 2010 6 EDUCATION 8 1.1. EARLY CHILDHOOD CARE AND EDUCATION 10 1.2. CHILD LITERACY AND LANGUAGE SUPPORT 13 1.3. EARLY SCHOOL-LEAVING 16 1.4. CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS 19 HEALTH 22 2.1. PRIMARY CARE 24 2.2. MENTAL HEALTH 26 2.3. CHILDHOOD OBESITY 29 MATERIAL WELLBEING 32 3.1. FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR FAMILIES 34 3.2. ACCESS TO EDUCATION 37 3.3. ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE 39 3.4. ACCESS TO HOUSING 41 SAFEGUARDING CHILDHOOD 44 4.1. PROTECTING CHILDREN 46 Ryan Report Implementation Plan 46 Social Work Provision 48 Separated Children 50 Children First Guidelines 52 4.2. CHILDREN AND THEIR ENVIRONMENTS 53 Play and Recreation 53 School Buildings 56 4.3. ALCOHOL 58 4.4. SEXUAL HEALTH AND RELATIONSHIPS 61 SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDED IMMEDIATE ACTIONS 64 Children’s Rights Alliance Report Card 2010 1 Welcome to Report Card as it stands, and the fallout from Budget 2010, it is not 2010 , the second edition unexpected. And let us not forget that 2009 was the of the Children’s Rights year in which we saw two budgets, the reports from An Alliance’s annual report Bord Snip Nua and the Commission on Taxation, and the card series, which provides birth of NAMA. But having said that, in times of crisis a concise picture of how and emergency, it is only natural to expect children to the Government is come first. As Ireland sinks further into economic crisis, delivering on its all of our children should either be at the front of the commitments to children queue or already on the lifeboats. But in reality, in the areas of education; particularly in relation to some issues, the Government health; material is putting its head in the sand. The fact that we felt wellbeing; and compelled to introduce a new ‘F’ grade – a fail – in safeguarding childhood. Last year, we awarded order to elucidate the steps taken by Government that Government an overall ‘D’ average grade. This year, I’m have been of detriment to children’s wellbeing in afraid to say that matters are worse, with Government Ireland, illustrates that children have not come first. slipping to the bottom of that grade: to a ‘D-’. We have The Government has simply forced our hand, found the Government’s overall performance on its particularly when some of its policy decisions fly in the promises to children to be barely acceptable, with face of common sense, good practice and countless limited positive impact on children’s lives. reports. Typically, when we think of a ‘report card’ it is as a Areas awarded an ‘F’ grade were: Financial Support for measure of academic performance, informing children Families; Primary Care; and Alcohol. In choosing to cut and their parents as to whether they are exceeding Child Benefit in Budget 2010, rather than reform the expectations; if they are on the right track; or falling system, the Government opted to reinforce the status behind with their grades. When I was at school, I quo despite the evidence that we need a more targeted know that, certainly for me and for my school-friends, and effective system. In ‘Primary Care’, the target is the idea that your parents could possibly receive a bad seriously behind schedule, and Budget 2010 did not report card helped focus the mind and made you think provide the necessary funding, despite the twice before misbehaving in class; not doing your under-developed nature of our primary care homework; or turning up ill-prepared for your exams! infrastructure. In ‘Alcohol’, the grave error of Similarly, despite being only in its second year, the decreasing the price of alcohol will be keenly felt, as Alliance’s annual report card series is already making teenage children will find it easier to access cheap headway and furnishing the Government with some alcohol and children will suffer in families where alcohol much needed pressure to honour its promises to is abused. Government has failed to take note of the children. And, yes, I can say that, even though the endless reports that clearly show the damaging effects overall grade has slipped. of alcohol on young minds. In each of these three areas shameful policies are being implemented that will be to For example, in preparing for Report Card 2009 , we the detriment of children – and to society.