From December 11, 2017 Early Years Services including staff, service owners, board of management and volunteers have new legal obligations under the Children First Act 2015.
Here are some resources that may be of use for services:

• Developing a Child Safeguarding Statement: A Guide For Early Years Services in Ireland.
• Ráiteas um Chumhdach Leanaí á Fhorbairt: Treoir do na Seirbhísí Luathbhlianta in Éirinn
• ‘5 Steps to Prepare for Mandated Reporting’
• E-Learning : Introduction to Children First. Everyone in the sector including all owners, boards of management and early years staff are being asked to complete this online course which provides introductory information on child protection and mandated reporting.
• This short video that introduces the e-learning module is Facebook/Twitter friendly. The video can be found here: https://youtu.be/HjitN5EWQvo. It covers what is in the module.
• The E-learning course can be accessed through either of these links : http://www.tusla.ie/children-first/children-first-e-learning-programme or http://childrenfirstuniversal.hseland.ie/
• Always Children First Child Protection Training: The e-learning module is an introductory course on child protection and includes information on mandated reporting. In addition to this early years services will continue to be offered child protection training through the Childcare Committees - Always Children First will be updated and training delivery will start in April, 2018.
• Children First National Guidance for the Protection & Welfare of Children. The new Guidance includes information on the new legal requirements and contains important information for professionals working with children and organisations providing services to children. Everyone working in an early years service should read and be familiar with the new guidance document. This Guidance will operate from Dec 11, 2017. Any previous guidance should be disposed of from this date.
• Questions and Answers – Early Years Services and the Children First Act, 2015.
• Responding to and Reporting a Child Protection or Welfare Concern:Sample Policy for Early Years Services   Published February 2018
• Developing a Child Safeguarding Statement: A Guide For Early Years Services in Ireland. Published February 2018
• Child Safeguarding Statement Template for Early Years Settings - Published January 2018
• A number of other useful documents can be found at www.tusla.ie