Communications Office
October 13, 2004
Catholic Bishops launch new Child Protection Website
The Child Protection Office (CPO) of the Irish Bishops’ Conference today launches its website www.cpo.ie. The website provides resource and contact information for anyone working with children in a parish setting or for anyone who might have a child protection concern.
Welcoming the launch of this dedicated child protection website, the Primate of All Ireland Archbishop Seán Brady said, “the Child Protection Office’s website is a testimony to the Church’s commitment to protecting children and young people in our parishes. The material available on the site will provide great support to all those, both lay and ordained, involved in ministries with children.”
Also welcoming the new website Mr John Morgan, Chairman of the Bishops’ Committee on Child Protection said, “this website is the latest development in the ongoing work of the Child Protection Office and will, I hope, prove to be a significant resource to all those working with children and young people in parishes across Ireland.”
According to Mr Paul Bailey Executive Director of the Irish Bishops’ Conference Child Protection Office, “the site has been specifically designed with two key target audiences in mind: those with a responsibility for child protection in the Catholic Church and secondly, the site is a service and information facility for all victims of child abuse.
“The core function of www.cpo.ie is to keep its key audiences, the media and public decision makers informed about the Catholic Church’s responsibilities and initiatives regarding child protection. As it is an information portal, www.cpo.ie allows access to other websites of the Bishops’ Conference such as www.catholiccommunications.ie ”
“The design aim of www.cpo.ie is to keep the content browser-friendly and streamlined. Clarity of language and ease of navigation are at the heart of the site’s construction.”
The site contains the following sections:
- Access to a local delegate via an interactive map of the 32 counties of Ireland informing the browser which dioceses cover each county
- How to make a complaint concerning child sexual abuse
- A frequently asked questions (FAQs) section
- Child protection publications commissioned by the Irish Bishops’ Conference
- An archive of relevant press releases; and
- A search facility and a links index providing contact details to church, statutory and voluntary organisations for children and adults with child protection concerns.
“This new facility will assist volunteers and priests at parish level working with children and young people. It is our intention to maintain the site as a ‘live’ medium, allowing it to evolve into the future so as to reflect national and international developments in the area of child protection,” Mr Bailey said.
Further information:
Martin Long Director, Catholic Communications Office 086 17 27 678.
Paul Bailey
Photograph of Paul Bailey, Executive Director, Child Protection Office
Ends
Director: Fr. John Carroll,
Tel (053) 24368, Fax (053) 23436