Child Protection

Child Safeguarding Statement

A written statement prepared in accordance with section 11 of the Children First Act 2015.

Name of service provided

Draíocht Creative Arts School provides drama and art classes to children. It also puts on regular showcases for drama students to get performance opportunities.

Nature of service & principles to safeguard children from harm

Draíocht Creative Arts School is committed to creating a safe environment for children and young people in accordance with the requirements of the Children First Act 2015, the Children First National Guidance for the Protection and Welfare of Children 2017, the Child Protection Procedures for Primary and Post Primary Schools 2017 (updated 2023), the Child Protection Procedures for Schools 2025 for Primary, Post Primary & Special Schools, the Addendum to Children First Guidelines (2025) and Tusla Guidance (the Child & Family Agency) on the preparation of Child Safeguarding Statements.

Draíocht Creative Arts School will adopt and implement the Department’s Child Protection Procedures for Schools 2025 for Primary, Post Primary and Special Schools as part of this overall child safeguarding statement. The management of Draíocht Creative Arts School has agreed the following Child Safeguarding Statement set out in this document.

Procedures

Draíocht Creative Arts School recognises that child protection and welfare considerations permeate all aspects of creative arts school life and must be reflected in policies, procedures, practices and activities. Draíocht Creative Arts School will adhere to the following principles of best practice in child protection and welfare.

Draíocht Creative Arts School will:

Appoint Jasmine Roberts as Designated Liaison Person (DLP). The person nominated by Draíocht Creative Arts School to act as the point of contact for Tusla (the Child and Family Agency), An Garda Síochána, and others in matters relating to child protection concerns or allegations.
Appoint Mairead Roberts as Deputy Liaison Person (DDLP). The person appointed by Draíocht Creative Arts School to act as deputy to the Designated Liaison Person (DLP). The DDLP takes on the responsibilities of the DLP when the DLP is unavailable.
Recognise that the protection and welfare of children is of paramount importance, regardless of all considerations. Please view Risk Assessment & Procedures for Managing Identified Risk in Section 9 of this document.
Fully comply with statutory obligations under the Children First Act 2015 and other relevant legislation such as the Child Protection Procedures for schools 2025 for Primary, Post Primary and Special Schools relating to the protection and welfare of children
Fully co-operate with the relevant statutory authorities in relation to child protection and welfare matters such as Tusla the Child and Family Agency and an Garda Síochána
Adopt safe practices to minimise the possibility of harm or accidents happening to children and protect workers/volunteers from the necessity to take unnecessary risks that may leave themselves open to accusations of abuse or neglect
Develop a practice of openness with parents/guardians and encourage parental involvement in the education of their children
Fully respect confidentiality requirements when dealing with child protection matters

9. Risk assessment

In accordance with the Children First Act 2015, we have carried out an assessment of any potential for harm to a child while availing of our services. Below is a list of the areas of risks identified and the list of procedures for managing these risks.

Risk 1 identified

Risk of harm to a child from a service user (adult or child), visitor or member of the public as bathrooms are located across the hall from the classroom (parish room) in St Multose Hall

Risk of harm to a child from a service user (another child) when using the bathroom in Carrigaline Community Complex

Procedure in place

Classes have been timetabled so that no other classes are sharing the bathroom facilities at the same time as Draíocht Creative Arts School Students to minimise risk of service users/members of the public using the restroom facilities at the same time.
Students will be supervised by the teacher when walking across the hall to use the bathroom by keeping the classroom door open and ensuring that only a maximum of 2 students leave to use the toilets at a time to prevent messing in the bathrooms.
If in the event, that timetabling changes and we do have to share the bathroom facilities with other service users, the teacher will schedule a toilet break half way through the lesson and supervise students when walking to the bathrooms and will wait outside the girl and boy’s bathroom doors in the hall to supervise who is going in and out of the bathroom to keep everybody safe.
The bathrooms are attached to the Youth Club Room and no classes are scheduled to use these bathrooms at the same time. To ensure there is no messing between students using the bathroom facilities attached to the room, the teacher will ensure that the previous user has returned to class before the next user goes to use the bathroom.

Risk 2 identified

Risk of harm to a child from a service user (adult or child), visitor or member of the public while waiting backstage to go on stage for their rehearsal or show or using bathroom facilities.

Procedure in place

(DDLP) Mairead Roberts volunteers to help (DLP) Jasmine Roberts with supervision at shows and rehearsals. Jasmine has ensured that Mairead has up to date Garda Vetting, is Tusla Certified in the Children First e-learning programme and is insured. At performances venues, if toilets are attached to the room we are in, a student may use the bathroom once the previous student has returned. If the toilets are not nearby Either the DLP or DDLP will bring a group to the toilet facilities as supervise students while they queue up to keep everybody safe.

Risk 3 identified

Risk of harm to a child from a service user (adult or child), visitor or member of the public while in the carpark of the community hall.

Procedure in place

Only registration forms where parents/guardians agree on the form to drop off and collect their children by escorting them into their classroom/performance venue to meet their teacher for a handover so students aren’t left unsupervised in the car park, will be accepted.

Risk 4 identified

Risk of harm to a child from a staff member /volunteer

Risk of harm to a staff member/volunteer from a child

Procedure in place

Pre-employment checks/Vetting procedure
Child Protection Policy
Anti-Bullying Policy
Code of behaviour for students and staff
Terms and Conditions for admission

Risks 5 & 6 identified

Bullying

Safety Online

E.g. GDPR Breach

Procedure in place

Child Protection Policy
Anti-Bullying Policy
Code of behaviour for students and staff
To keep client’s data safe, our website is managed by top security software to prevent against hackers.
Parents/guardians sign a consent form for online registration if they allow their children to be photographed and videoed for marketing purposes for websites, social media, brochures/posters, competitions or by other parents at shows/events linked with the school.
Parents/guardians also tick a consent box on registration to have our website collect their data.

10. The following list of procedures & measures are in place

In relation to any member of staff/volunteer who is the subject of any investigation in respect of any act, omission or circumstance in respect of a child attending the school, the school adheres to the relevant procedures set out in Chapter 7 (p.62–73) of the Child Protection Procedures for schools 2025 for Primary, Post Primary and Special Schools
In relation to the selection or recruitment of staff and their suitability to work with children, Draíocht Creative Arts School adheres to the statutory vetting requirements of the National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Acts 2012 to 2016
In relation to the provision of information and, where necessary instruction and training to staff in respect of the identification of the occurrence of harm (as defined in the 2015 Act) Draíocht Creative Arts School ensures that:
1. All staff/volunteers have copies of the Child Safeguarding Statement and Child Protection Policy
2. All staff/volunteers avail of relevant training
In relation to reporting child protection concerns to Tusla, the staff/volunteers of Draíocht Creative Arts School will adhere to the procedures set out in the Child Protection Procedures for Primary, Post Primary Schools and Special Schools, where by law they are obligated to report child protection concerns under the Children First Act 2015.
In Draíocht Creative Arts School Jasmine Roberts is the DLP as the ‘relevant person’ (as identified in the Children First Act 2015) to be the first point of contact in respect of the school’s child safeguarding statement.

11. Implementation

We recognise that implementation is an on-going process. Our service is committed to the implementation of this Child Safeguarding Statement and the procedures that support our intention to keep children safe from harm while availing of our service.

This Child Safeguarding Statement will be reviewed on the 1st of December 2026 or as soon as practicable after there has been a material change in any matter to which the statement refers.

Signed: Jasmine Roberts (Provider)

For queries, please contact DLP Jasmine Roberts, Relevant Person under the Children First Act 2015.

Contact Details: 0861778979 Email: hello@draiochtcreativeartsschool.ie