Mayo teenager co-ordinates Ombudsman for Children event

A Mayo teenager was involved in co-ordinating an event by the Ombudsman for Children’s Office (OCO).

A new report entitled ‘Pieces of Us; What’s Next?’ has been published by the OCO.

This comes following a review of Ireland’s reporting process to the UN Committee on the Rights of the child. 

Sinéad Murray from Ballina is a member of the OCO’s Youth Advisory Panel, which has played a key role in assisting the OCO in this process. 

Speaking about the event, the 16-year-old said it was ‘a fantastic day to see so many young people across the country and to see all their different opinions’.

The Ombudsman for Children, Dr Niall Muldoon said hearing views directly from children is ‘essential’, and said the ‘Pieces of Us: What’s Next?’ report ‘provides Government and policymakers with a clear insight into children’s priorities’.

5,515 children took part in a national online survey, and 200 children participated in focus groups for the ‘Pieces of Us’ children’s report that went to the UN Committee in August 2022. 

The Youth Advisory Panel travelled to Geneva to share the findings of this report. 

This latest report ‘Pieces of Us: What’s Next?’, is the final part of the process where children reflected on what the committee said and focused on the key actions they feel the Government must now take. 

The Youth Advisory Panel hosted the event in Croke Park and heard directly from children on what they had to say about the issues children care about in Ireland. 

“The OCO Youth Advisory Panel led this whole process and their hard work and commitment have been key not only to the success of the report, but to the impact that it has had in influencing the concluding observations” said Dr Muldoon.

Education, mental health, equality, play and leisure, hearing children’s voices, and protecting the most vulnerable, were the key themes for children.

Children are calling for a series of changes in schools and education settings. 

They want to take the pressure out of the Leaving Certificate and remove the stigma around the Leaving Cert Applied and Leaving Cert Vocational Programme. 

Additionally, they want more cultural awareness training for teachers and better disability services.

In mental health children wish for additional and better staff for CAMHS. 

They want shorter waiting lists and an understanding that you cannot be ‘too young’ to experience mental health issues. 

Furthermore, they want more mental health support services in schools and improvements in transgender healthcare.

“We will continue to share the messages from 'Pieces of Us: What’s Next?' and to support the YAP in bringing these messages directly to decision makers” concluded Dr Muldoon.