22% Rise In Complaints To Children's Ombudsman

Complaints to the Ombudsman for Children increased by 22% last year, according to the office’s annual report.

Emily Logan’s office investigated 1,393 new complaints in 2011, with almost half of them relating to education and 32% to health.

Grievances concerning education were up 9% on the previous year with the most common being about the failure of teachers or principals to address worries raised by parents and changes to the provision of school transport.

Bullying, special needs resources and problems with boards of management accounted for the rest.

Ms Logan said she was unsurprised by the rise in grievances in relation to education.

“Parents are very worried about the cuts to special needs education. And they become fearful because there is a lack of communication about what the implications might be for their child,” she said.

Adding that the “stock answer” of insufficient resources to provide services to children was not good enough.

“While adequate resources are of great importance to guaranteeing that children’s rights are respected, the attitude and culture that underpin how we engage with, and provide for, children is arguably more fundamental,” she said.

“We continue to see more concern for the system than for the best interest of the child and family.”

(H/GK)