Child Safeguarding Statement

This Child Safeguarding Statement is prepared in accordance with the Children First Act 2015 and the Children First: National Guidance. It sets out the principles and procedures to be observed to ensure, as far as possible, that a child interacting with A&L Goodbody (ALG) is safe from harm.

Relevant services provided

At ALG we are committed to delivering safe legal services to children as part of our Pro Bono programme. We are also committed to supporting the development of the potential of children and young people. We may facilitate the placement of transition year (TY) students and interns or arrange educational site visits and workshops for students under the age of 18. We do not employ staff who are under the age of 18.

Specific scenarios where ALG may interact with children may include but are not limited to:

  1. Clients: ALG provides legal services to minors as part of the Kids in Need of Defense (KIND) project. Minors may also become clients of ALG through referrals made as part of our partnerships with the Irish Refugee Council, Focus Ireland and Mercy Law Resource Centre. ALG provides legal information to minors in a programme developed and delivered in partnership with the UNHCR and Tusla. ALG may also provide legal information to minors through its participation in the Trinity FLAC’s phoneline clinic.
  2. Student work experience: ALG offers work experience placements for second and third level students. This allows students to gain insight into the legal profession and experience the working environment of a law firm.
  3. Responsible business education and employment programmes: These programmes are an important part of ALG’s social mobility strategy. They aim to provide young people from the north east inner city of Dublin with opportunities to develop digital and business skills, thereby improving access to education and employment.
  4. School visits: ALG organises visits for school groups to our offices. These visits may be educational, designed to provide students insight into the legal profession and business services and the various career opportunities available within the legal sector. They may also be social, such as choir performances.
  5. Sports and social activities: ALG engages in, and hosts, a variety of sports and social events that may include children, such as our annual Family Christmas Party. These activities are integral to ALG's community engagement and corporate social responsibility (CSR) efforts.
  6. Wellness activities: The firm conducts wellness activities that may include sessions or programs aimed at promoting the well-being of children. These activities are part of our broader commitment to health and wellness within the community.

Commitment to child safeguarding

We are committed to maintaining the highest standards of child safeguarding, in line with all relevant legislation and guidelines. We have implemented measures to raise awareness among all staff regarding child-safeguarding principles and best practices.

Key child safeguarding principles

  • Safety and protection: The safety and protection of children who come into contact with ALG is of paramount importance. We are committed to ensuring best practices are applied to keep children safe while availing of our services and programmes.
  • Compliance with legislation: We comply with all relevant legislation, including the Children First Act 2015, and are informed by best practices such as Children First: National Guidance for the Protection and Welfare of Children.
  • Awareness and training: We have implemented measures to raise awareness among all staff and consultants regarding child-safeguarding principles and best practices. Staff members and consultants will be provided with Children First training in accordance with their needs, responsibilities, and interactions with children.
  • Reporting and protection: Staff members or consultants who make disclosures about suspected child abuse or neglect are protected by relevant legislation, including the Protection for Persons Reporting Child Abuse Act, 1998, which provides for the protection from civil liability of persons who have communicated child abuse or neglect "reasonably and in good faith" to Tusla or An Garda Síochána.
  • Designated liaison persons (DLP): In line with best practice under the Children First National Guidance, DLPs have been appointed in the relevant functional areas of our firm. Staff members and consultants are instructed to contact the assigned DLP regarding any specific child safeguarding concern of which they may become aware in the course of their work.

Risk assessment

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 risk identified and the list of procedures for managing these risks.

Risk identified

Procedure in place to manage risk identified

Risk of harm from staff
  • Risk assessment prior to placement to be carried out by the relevant manager.
  • Placements of children/young adults when attending work programmes are to be in open plan offices only.
  • Children under 18 are to be accompanied by two members of staff/consultants when attending training/work.
  • Children under 18 who are Pro Bono KIND clients are to be accompanied by a Tusla social worker when attending meetings or calls with ALG staff.
  • All ALG emails and letter correspondence with Pro Bono clients who are under 18 should be addressed to both the Tusla care worker and the child. In cases where an aftercare social worker has been assigned by Tusla after the client turns 18 years of age, they should continue to be included on all correspondence.
  • Children should not have access to any information, physical or digital, which would not be suitable for viewing by a minor.

Risk of harm from non-staff
  • Children under 18 to be accompanied by two members of staff/or one staff member and consultant when attending training/work.

Risk of harm or concern not being recognised or reported
  • Provision of staff information, supervision, and online training.
  • Reporting procedure and legal consequences for non-reporting.

Risk of non-compliance with the Children First Act 2015 and National Guidance
  • Compliance assurance process and designated liaison persons.

Risk of physical harm while on premises
  • Health and Safety Statement and associated controls to be given to and explained to all TY students/interns.
  • Regular Health & Safety checks will be conducted to ensure a safe environment for children.
  • Emergency procedures will be clearly communicated to all children under 18 and staff will be trained to respond to emergencies involving children.
  • Children under 18 will have restricted access to hazardous materials and equipment and areas that may pose a risk to their physical safety.

Risk of harm arising from online interactions
  • All email communications with minors in relation to ALG programmes and placements should be done with a relevant adult (i.e. parent, ALG sponsor, ALG work colleague, teacher) in copy.
  • All online interactions with minor Pro Bono clients must include a Tusla social worker.
  • Children under 18 will be provided with guidelines on safe online interactions and the use of digital communication tools.
  • ALG staff cannot accept invitations from minor clients or placement students on LinkedIn or any other social media platform.
  • Staff will monitor online interactions involving children under 18 to ensure they are conducted safely and appropriately.
  • Any concerns arising from online interactions will be reported to the DLP and appropriate actions will be taken.

Risk of harm while participating in off-site activities
  • Risk assessments will be conducted prior to any off-site activities involving children under 18.
  • Children under 18 will be supervised by designated staff members during off-site activities.
  • Emergency procedures and contact information will be provided to children under 18 and their parents/guardians prior to off-site activities.
  • Staff cannot meet with minors one-on-one off site. This includes mentoring and Pro Bono client meetings.
  • Staff will be trained to respond to emergencies and safeguarding concerns during off-site activities.
  • Staff will be required to follow external programme procedures, including garda vetting where required.

Implementation

We recognise that implementation is an ongoing process. ALG is committed to the firmwide application of this Child Safeguarding Statement and the procedures that support our intention to keep children safe from harm while availing of our services. This statement will be reviewed every two years or as soon as practicable after there has been a material change in any matter to which the statement refers.

Contacts

For queries or assistance, please contact a DLP: for the Pro Bono team, Eithne Lynch (Head of Pro Bono) or Jack Gibson (Pro Bono Lawyer); for the Talent team, Aisling Mooney Eddy (Head of Talent); and for the Responsible Business team, Sinéad Smith (Head of Responsible Business) or Suzie O’Shea (Senior Responsible Business Executive).