Conversation with Aoife OMalley on practices of child participation and safeguarding in Tusla

The overall objective of the webinar is to analyze the cross-cutting elements between child safeguarding and child participation practices of children victims and witnesses in the Barnahus. The aim is to elaborate the concept of DO NO HARM and explore the potential risks and prevention issues related to child safeguarding. In addition, will be shared in the format of an interview the outstanding experience of Tusla on child participation to establish Barnahus and how they have embedded child safeguarding in the running of the service.  Tusla Child and Family Agency is the State agency responsible for child protection and welfare in Ireland. Tusla is the lead agency responsible for piloting of Barnahus in Ireland and is involved with national upscaling of Barnahus alongside the Health Services Executive, Children’s Health Ireland and A Garda Siochana (Irish Police Force). Barnahus in Ireland provides an interagency response to children who may have been subjected to sexual abuse and their families. Currently, there is one Barnahus in Ireland, Barnahus West, which provides a service to children living in the West of Ireland. Barnahus South and Barnahus East will be established in the coming years to provide national coverage for child victims of sexual abuse.

Aoife is Manager of Barnahus West, the pilot site for Barnahus in Ireland. She has primary responsibility for interagency collaboration in Barnahus and is clinical lead of the Barnahus Therapy Team. Aoife has a clinical background in Occupational Therapy and has developed specialism in working with children who have experienced trauma. Aoife chaired the Barnahus West Participation Working Group, which developed the Barnahus Participation Strategy aimed at implementing the Lundy Model of Child Participation within the pilot. She also sits on the European Barnahus Network Child Participation Working Group.