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29/11/2012
Vulnerable Children Require Media Health Care Cooperation
The media and health care professionals must work together to help protect vulnerable children and raise awareness about child abuse.
That was the message relayed by Health and Social Services Minister Edwin Poots as he spoke before the launch of the Guidance for Media Reporting on Child Abuse and Neglect at the MAC arts centre in Belfast.
The eight-page booklet has been produced jointly by journalists and child care professionals.
Mr Poots said: "The commitment from the media and child care professionals to producing these guidelines demonstrates a strong willingness to work together to protect the vulnerable and raise awareness of child abuse. It marks the beginning of a more constructive working relationship between the health and social care sector and the media to help safeguard our children.
"We are often reminded of the immense power and influence of the media. When it comes to child protection, we often rely on courageous journalists to raise awareness or promote understanding of how we can better safeguard children. It is essential that the media holds on to this challenge function."
He added: "However, reporting of child abuse needs to be handled with acute sensitivity. To do otherwise may bring difficult repercussions for the vulnerable and innocent while, at the same time, assisting abusers by inadvertently obstructing apprehension."
The Minister said the Executive had a duty to safeguard the protection of vulnerable people in society through the Programme for Government (PfG).
The Children’s Safeguarding Board for Northern Ireland (SBNI) was established in September.
"When things go wrong, there is an onus on us all to ensure that it is reported in a way which is sensitive to the needs of the families and children involved," the Minister continued.
"The SBNI will be tasked with identifying learning through the exercise of its case management review function. I am quite certain that a constructive working relationship between the SBNI and the media will help to promote and disseminate learning – from the positive outcomes as well as the negative ones."
(IT/GK)
That was the message relayed by Health and Social Services Minister Edwin Poots as he spoke before the launch of the Guidance for Media Reporting on Child Abuse and Neglect at the MAC arts centre in Belfast.
The eight-page booklet has been produced jointly by journalists and child care professionals.
Mr Poots said: "The commitment from the media and child care professionals to producing these guidelines demonstrates a strong willingness to work together to protect the vulnerable and raise awareness of child abuse. It marks the beginning of a more constructive working relationship between the health and social care sector and the media to help safeguard our children.
"We are often reminded of the immense power and influence of the media. When it comes to child protection, we often rely on courageous journalists to raise awareness or promote understanding of how we can better safeguard children. It is essential that the media holds on to this challenge function."
He added: "However, reporting of child abuse needs to be handled with acute sensitivity. To do otherwise may bring difficult repercussions for the vulnerable and innocent while, at the same time, assisting abusers by inadvertently obstructing apprehension."
The Minister said the Executive had a duty to safeguard the protection of vulnerable people in society through the Programme for Government (PfG).
The Children’s Safeguarding Board for Northern Ireland (SBNI) was established in September.
"When things go wrong, there is an onus on us all to ensure that it is reported in a way which is sensitive to the needs of the families and children involved," the Minister continued.
"The SBNI will be tasked with identifying learning through the exercise of its case management review function. I am quite certain that a constructive working relationship between the SBNI and the media will help to promote and disseminate learning – from the positive outcomes as well as the negative ones."
(IT/GK)
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