Saint John of God Hospital
Saint John of God Hospital is a service of the Saint John of God Hospitaller Services. It offers both inpatient and outpatient treatment services to people from all over Ireland. The Hospital currently provides specialist services in Substance Misuse, Psychotic Disorders, Eating Disorders, Psychiatry of Later Life and Adolescent Mental Health.
Saint John of God Hospital is committed to promoting the wellbeing of all adults and children within its services and providing a caring environment where all people are always treated with dignity and respect. Saint John of God Hospital is committed to the safeguarding of children from abuse, regarding the welfare of children as being of paramount importance and to ensuring that its staff and services are equipped to prevent harm to children and, where it occurs, to intervening urgently to address the situation and prevent any harm from escalating. It acknowledges that all children have the right to be safe and to live a life free from abuse. In this regard Saint John of God Hospital has zero tolerance for abuse and adheres to The Children First Act 2015 and Children First: National Guidance for the Protection and Welfare of Children 2017. Saint John of God Hospital commits to fully cooperating with the relevant authorities in relation to child protection and welfare.
Ginesa Suite
Ginesa Suite is an adolescent inpatient mental health service that can cater for 12 young people aged from 14 years up to 18 years old who are experiencing mental health difficulties. Ginesa Suite provides a range of therapeutic services and programmes including continued access to education, which aims to aid and support young people on their journey of recovery. Therapeutic interventions are available on a group and individual basis. Young people availing of the service have access to an independent advocate. Visitors are encouraged to visit during visiting times. All visitors must be approved by parents/guardians and individually named on a list of agreed visitors. Any visitor under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult already named on the visitor list. An information Handbook is available for young people and their parents.
Definition of Harm:
As defined in the Children First Act 2015, harm means ‘in relation to a child— (a) assault, ill-treatment or neglect of the child in a manner that seriously affects or is likely to seriously affect the child’s health, development or welfare, or (b) sexual abuse of the child, whether caused by a single act, omission or circumstance or a series or combination of acts, omissions or circumstances, or otherwise’.
Risk of Harm Assessment:
We have carried out an assessment of any potential for harm to a child while availing of our services as follows:
- Risks to children visiting the Hospital or who are on the hospital grounds for sport and recreational purposes: see SJOG Hospital Visits (Regulation 11) Policy (Ed. 8). Children must be accompanied by a responsible adult and are expected to remain with the adult who is supervising them.
- Risks to children/young persons who are patients of Saint John of God Hospital: The Adolescent Unit/Ginesa Suite has a Risk Register identifying potential risks to the children in its service and control measures to mitigate these risks. Children attending for outpatient appointments must be accompanied by a responsible adult.
- Risks to children who attend meetings at Saint John of God Hospital as part of their parent’s/relative’s treatment: Children must be accompanied by a responsible adult. All staff who facilitate these meetings receive training on Children First which meets the standards set out in “Best Practice Principles for Organisations in Developing Children First Training Programmes”, TUSLA, 2017.
Procedures:
Our Child Safeguarding Statement has been developed in line with requirements under the Children First Act 2015, Children First: National Guidance for the Protection and Welfare of Children, and TUSLA’s Child Safeguarding: A Guide for Policy, Procedure and Practice.
In addition to the procedures listed in our risk assessment, the following procedures support the safeguarding of children while they are availing of our service:
- Policy & Procedures for Managing Allegations of Abuse Against Staff (February 2016) & Trust In Care Policy & Procedures (May 2005).
- Procedure for the safe recruitment and selection of workers and volunteers to work with children: Saint John of God Hospital clg Human Resources Policy 29.07.2022.
- Child Protection and Child Protection Training Policy Ginesa Suite
- Child Safeguarding Training is mandatory for all staff and volunteers.
- All staff and volunteers complete the HSE e-Learning Module “An Introduction to Children First”.
- All Mandated Persons participate in an in-person Mandated Persons Training module every 3 years.
- Staff who work directly with children receive training on Children First which meets standards set out in “Best Practice Principles for Organisations in Developing Children First Training Programmes”, TUSLA, 2017.
- Procedure for Reporting Internal Safeguarding concerns is set out in Reporting Internal Safeguarding Concerns SOP
- Adolescent Service Risk Register is maintained.
- Bullying Policy
- User friendly Child Safeguarding Reporting Process Flow Charts are readily available as a reference for staff.
- In the interest of safety and security, CCTV, identified by appropriate signage, is in operation within the hospital.
- A list of all mandated persons working in Saint John of God Hospital is maintained by the Human Resources Department.
- Supervision structures are in place for clinical staff.
Reporting Procedures for all Staff:
All Saint John of God Hospital staff have a duty to inform TUSLA when they have reasonable grounds for concern that a child may have been, is being or is at risk of being abused or neglected. Mandated Persons comply with their legal obligation to make a Mandated Report to TUSLA when they have any knowledge, belief or reasonable suspicion that a child has been harmed, is being harmed or is at risk of being harmed in accordance with the harm thresholds set out in Children First National Guidance for the Protection and Welfare of Children 2017. Mandated Persons comply fully with the TUSLA Children First Protocol for Mandated Assisting. Where a parent/child is involved with different services it is essential that staff work co-operatively and share information in the best interest of the child and within the boundaries of confidentiality. This includes the sharing of records as appropriate with the Child and Family Agency (TUSLA) and An Garda Síochána.
Saint John of God Hospital complies fully with The Criminal Justice (Withholding of Information on Offences against Children and Vulnerable Persons) Act 2012. In doing so any staff member who has information about a serious offence against a child, which may result in charges or prosecution, will ensure that the concern is reported to An Garda Síochána.
Keeping children and young people safe from harm online:
During their inpatient stay access to the internet for young people availing of the Ginesa Service is restricted. The sites that can be accessed are restricted. Smart phones are not permitted. Young people use phones that do not have internet access or cameras. Computers are in communal areas where staff can monitor use. Tablets are used but content availability is restricted and cameras are disabled. Firewalls are in place. The use of personal electronic devices (such as TV sets, tablets, laptops, portable DVD players) are not allowed on Ginesa Suite.
Designated Liaison Persons:
Saint John of God Hospital has appointed 2 Designated Liaison Persons and a deputy to fully comply with their safeguarding obligations in line with Children First: National Guidance for the Protection and Welfare of Children 2017.
- Grainne Lawlor, Designated Liaison Person
- Shirley Gleeson, Designated Liaison Person
- Alina Popescu, Deputy Designated Liaison Person
Relevant Person:
Relevant Person under the Children first Act 2015 is appointed by Mr Damien O’Dowd, Chief Executive Officer.
Implementation:
We recognise that implementation is an ongoing 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 in March 2026, or as soon as practicable after there has been a material change in any matter to which the statement refers.
All procedures listed are available upon request.
For queries, please contact Relevant Person under the Children First Act 2015, Mr Damien O’Dowd, Chief Executive at Saint John of God Hospital, Stillorgan, Co. Dublin.
Phone: 277 1400
