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	State body says it takes all child protection concerns &lsquo;very seriously&rsquo;</h2>
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		Social services have been alerted to dozens of child welfare concerns in State-funded asylum accommodation centres, such as young people displaying signs of inappropriate sexualised behaviour.</p>
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		Latest official figures show there are about 1,600 children living in the direct provision system for asylum seekers in the State.</p>
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		In all, authorities were alerted to 120 reports of child protection or welfare concerns during 2012 relating to children in these settings.</p>
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		Most cases of concern related to unsupervised children (47), children with disruptive or sexualised behaviour (18) and parents being hospitalised or experiencing mental health problems (17).</p>
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		Critics of the direct provision system, such as the&nbsp;<a class="search" href="http://www.irishtimes.com/search/search-7.1213540?tag_organisation=Irish%20Refugee%20Council&amp;article=true" style="color: rgb(0, 51, 153); text-decoration: none; outline: none !important;">Irish Refugee Council</a>, say direct provision is an unnatural family environment which is harmful to children and hinders their development.</p>
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		<a class="search" href="http://www.irishtimes.com/search/search-7.1213540?tag_person=Geoffrey%20Shannon&amp;article=true" style="color: rgb(0, 51, 153); text-decoration: none; outline: none !important;">Geoffrey Shannon</a>, the Government&rsquo;s special rapporteur on children, has also highlighted &ldquo;real risks&rdquo; relating to children in such settings, such as single-parent families who are required to share rooms with strangers.</p>
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		The Reception and Integration Agency (RIA), the State body responsible for direct provision, says it takes the issue of child protection very seriously and all reports are investigated.</p>
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		<strong>Garda vetting</strong><br />
		It has moved to introduce Garda vetting of staff working in these centres over recent years and has co-ordinated training of centre managers in child protection.</p>
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		All direct provision centres are also required to implement child protection policies as part of contracts they sign with the agency.</p>
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		But inspection reports obtained by&nbsp;<em>The Irish Times</em>&nbsp;show lapses across some centres in ensuring all staff managers were trained in Children First, the State&rsquo;s policy on handling child protection concerns.</p>
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		In addition, inspectors found cases of young children who had been left to mind infants or unsupervised children being left to play in areas that could be accessed by strangers.</p>
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		RIA says it has a specific child and family services unit whose role is to manage, deliver, co-ordinate, monitor all matters relating to child and family services for all asylum seekers residing in the direct provision system.</p>
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		It forwards any concerns over the welfare, safety or wellbeing of a children to the HSE&rsquo;s child protection services.</p>
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		Minister for Children&nbsp;<a class="search" href="http://www.irishtimes.com/search/search-7.1213540?tag_person=Frances%20Fitzgerald&amp;article=true" style="color: rgb(0, 51, 153); text-decoration: none; outline: none !important;">Frances Fitzgerald</a>&nbsp;told the D&aacute;il recently that she has been engaging with the HSE to ensure &ldquo;children currently residing in direct provision are afforded the same levels of welfare and protection that their counterparts in the wider community are afforded&rdquo;.</p>
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		However, a report last year by the refugee council documented cases of what it described as &ldquo;State-sanctioned child poverty and exclusion&rdquo;, including cases of poor nutrition and overcrowding.</p>
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		The council&rsquo;s report expressed concern that children were forced to share toilets with adults, and may also witness violent and sexual behaviour.</p>
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		Retired&nbsp;<a class="search" href="http://www.irishtimes.com/search/search-7.1213540?tag_organisation=Supreme%20Court&amp;article=true" style="color: rgb(0, 51, 153); text-decoration: none; outline: none !important;">Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;judge Catherine McGuinness has also warned that a future government may have to issue a formal apology for the manner in which children, in particular, are being treated.</p>
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		<strong>Highly damaging</strong><br />
		A system where families have to live in one room; are not able to cook for themselves and adults are not allowed to work was, she said, highly damaging to children.</p>
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		Ms McGuinness has urged Minister for Justice&nbsp;<a class="search" href="http://www.irishtimes.com/search/search-7.1213540?tag_person=Alan%20Shatter&amp;article=true" style="color: rgb(0, 51, 153); text-decoration: none; outline: none !important;">Alan Shatter</a>&nbsp;to consider reforming the system to ensure the welfare of adults and children is better protected.</p>
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		Mr Shatter has said that while the system is not ideal, he has no plans to change it on the basis that it provides an economical way of providing a roof over the head of every asylum seeker.</p>
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		<a href="http://www.irishtimes.com/news/social-affairs/social-services-alerted-over-child-welfare-in-asylum-centres-1.1560770">http://www.irishtimes.com/news/social-affairs/social-services-alerted-over-child-welfare-in-asylum-centres-1.1560770</a></p>
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