Sir, – The Irish Association of Play Therapy and Psychotherapy (IAPTP) wishes to express serious concern regarding Tusla's new child abuse substantiation procedures due to come into effect from June 2020 ("Alleged child abusers to be allowed interview complainants", News, February 4th).
It appears that the procedures risk retraumatising alleged victims of abuse while being weighted toward the rights of alleged abusers by permitting people under investigation for child abuse, including sexual abuse, personally interview their alleged victims in certain circumstances. IAPTP would like to call on Tusla to review these procedures with an external committee considering best practice and victim safeguarding. We call on the Minister to review this matter, and consider best practices internationally in child abuse substantiation procedures. We would not like to see any new procedures become a barrier to reporting abuse. – Yours, etc,
EMER McDONAGH,
Chairwoman,
Irish Association of
Play Therapy and
Psychotherapy,
Corbally, Co Clare.