The guiding principles in regard to the reporting of abuse or neglect are:
- The safety of the child / adult at risk is paramount
- If you have a safeguarding concern and are not sure what to do, contact the SMA Designated Liaison Person immediately.
- Reports should be made without delay to the SMA Designated Liaison Person, Túsla / HSE and An Gardaí and to the PSNI if it relates to an incident in Northern Ireland.
- If a child / person is in immediate danger contact the Gardaí directly.
Since 11 December 2017, SMA members, as mandated persons, must report any knowledge, belief or reasonable suspicion that a child has been harmed to TUSLA and to An Garda Síochána.
SMA DESIGNATED LIASION PERSON
Ms Elizabeth Murphy, African Missions, Blackrock Road, Cork, T12 N6C8
087 – 7135 240 [email protected]
GARDA SIOCHANA 1 800 555 222 – Child Sexual Abuse Freephone
Gardaí National Protective Services Bureau 01 – 666 3430 or 666 3435 or call your nearest Garda Station.
HSE 1 850 24 1850 or [email protected]
TÚSLA: Child & Family Agency 1 800 555 222 or 021 – 492 3535
Unit 4a, Floor 3, North Point House, North Point Business Park, T23 AT2P, Cork
PSNI – Police Service of Northern Ireland
101 (within Northern Ireland) or +44 28 9025 9299 (Central Referral Unit)
Some Support Organizations
Towards Healing 1 800 303 416
Towards Healing is a private and confidential counselling and support service for survivors of institutional, clerical and religious abuse, funded by the Catholic Church in Ireland. Office open Tuesday to Friday 9am-5pm but you can leave a message on their Answering service.
Towards Peace 1 800 505 3028
Towards Peace offers spiritual support to victims / survivors of clerical abuse whose faith in God may have been affected by their experience. Following initial telephone contact, Towards Peace offers an opportunity to talk to a trained spiritual companion in a one-to-one setting and to explore questions and concerns about God, and to get in touch with God’s presence in their lives.
The Samaritans 1 850 609 090
