HSE Children First Awareness Campaign

HSE Children First Awareness Campaign

15 to 21 September 2025

An image of the Children First National Office Logo appears on the top right of the poster An image of the Health Service Executive Logo appears on the top left of the poster An image of six young children’s heads peeping up from the bottom of the page. We were all Children Once. Now we are Children First. These words are written across the main page with a yellow background. Child Safeguarding is Everybody’s Business. For more information go online and visit www.hse.ie/childrenfirst. QR Code to the HSE Children First main webpage. A small arrow pointing to the QR code on the poster.

Campaign Objective

To promote Children First across the HSE and HSE funded organisations and raise awareness by highlighting our responsibilities under Children First. This year a national campaign will also take place that will expand to focus on parents, guardians, and relevant responsible adults as the key target audience of the public campaign.

The HSE Children First National Office has created a number of resources for staff and services, to help promote Children First awareness and communicate key messages throughout the campaign.

The resources provided below can be shared and highlighted to staff, utilised at team meetings or used locally in whatever way may be deemed appropriate throughout the week and beyond in order to support the campaign.

We kindly request that all our HSE services, including our funded and contracted services, support the campaign by joining in during the week to create awareness.

 

Notice Board

The following notice board can be circulated in advance of and during the Awareness Week:

Image of a Notice Board that outlines all of the resources that are available during the Awareness Week including posters to print, a video to watch, a quiz that can be entered and a lunch time webinar..

Notice Board Poster (PDF, 4,619 KB, 1 page) | (Microsoft Word Version, 18,422 KB, 1 page)

All of the resources referenced on the notice board are also included below:

Drop-in Lunchtime Clinics

Drop-in lunchtime clinics will run from 1pm to 2pm, Monday 15 to Friday 19 September on Microsoft Teams.

Join the meeting now
  • Meeting ID: 339 969 105 430 4  
  • Passcode: vS7Pa3q6

Dial in by phone

  • +353 1 592 3510,,997803871#Ireland, Dublin  
  • Phone conference ID: 997 803 871#

These will be informal sessions lead by HSE Children First Training and Development Officers who will be happy to answer questions or discuss anything Children First related that maybe coming up for you or your service.

Bring a cuppa. All welcome!

Waiting Room Resource for Children and Young People

A waiting room resource for children and young people. We have developed a subtle, awareness raising, child safeguarding themed printable word search for children and young people to complete and doodle on while they wait for appointments. A good resource for all year round!!!

Image of a Wordsearch that can be completed in waiting rooms by children and young people with child safeguarding themed words.

Word Search (PDF, 491 KB, 1 page) | (Microsoft Word Version, 2,002 KB, 1 Page)

Posters

Posters to raise child safeguarding awareness within your service you can use these posters to set up an information stand during the week to promote awareness.

HSE funded services may wish to adapt these posters for their own organisation, so a link to an editable Microsoft Word version of each poster is included below also. 

 

An image of two young children kneeling on a couch looking out a sitting room window. Child Safeguarding is Everybody’s Business.... …make it yours. Report Concerns. Never assume that someone else will report. WE CAN ALL MAKE A DIFFERENCE. For more information go online and visit www.hse.ie/childrenfirst. A small arrow pointing to the QR CODE to How to Report a Child Protection and Welfare Concern on the HSE Children First Website. 

Report Concerns Poster (PDF, 1,085 KB, 1 page) | (Microsoft Word Version, 416 KB, 1 page)

 

HSE National Child Protection and Welfare Policy. The image of the word ‘Policy’ beside a child’s drawing with pictures of the world, a star, rainbow, heart and some scribbles. Child Safeguarding is Everybody’s Business.... …make it yours. Read the HSE National Child Protection and Welfare Policy. You must understand your responsibilities in order to safeguard children. WE CAN ALL MAKE A DIFFERENCE. For more information go online and visit www.hse.ie/childrenfirst. A small arrow pointing to the QR Code to the HSE Child Protection and Welfare Policy on the HSE Children First Website.

HSE National Child Protection and Welfare Policy (PDF, 4,025 KB, 1 page) | (Microsoft Word Version, 18,055 KB, 1 page)

 

Mandatory Training. An Introduction to Children First eLearning programme. An image of several health and social care professionals extending their hands to join as they stand in a circle. Child Safeguarding is Everybody’s Business.... …make it yours. Do your mandatory Children First Training. Complete 'An Introduction to Children First' eLearning on HSeLanD every three years. WE CAN ALL MAKE A DIFFERENCE. For more information go online and visit www.hse.ie/childrenfirst. A small arrow pointing to the QR Code to the Mandatory Children First Training @An Introduction to Children First’ on the HSE Children First main webpage.

Mandatory Training (PDF, 1,167 KB, 1 page) | (Microsoft Word Version, 461 KB, 1 page)

 

Services Working with Children and Young People: Relevant Services. An image of hands working on a document with the word ‘Risk’ in the centre of the page with arrows to words such as: Control, Policies, Analysis, Report, Review and Strategy. Child Safeguarding is Everybody’s Business.... …make sure that your service protects children and families. • Complete a Child Safeguarding Risk Assessment. • Develop a Child Safeguarding Statement. WE CAN ALL MAKE A DIFFERENCE. For more information go online and visit www.hse.ie/childrenfirst. A small arrow pointing to the QR Code to the Child Safeguarding Statement on the HSE Children First Website.

Relevant Services (PDF, 777 KB, 1 page) | (Microsoft Word Version, 4,683 KB, 1 page)

 

Child Safeguarding in Adult Services. An image of an adult standing sideways as a young boy peeps his head out while standing in from of the adult. Child Safeguarding is Everybody’s Business.... …protect the children you don’t see. Worried about an adult? You may need to worry about a child too! WE CAN ALL MAKE A DIFFERENCE. For more information go online and visit www.hse.ie/childrenfirst. A small arrow pointing to the QR Code to the How to report a concern on the HSE Children First Website.

Adult Services (PDF, 1,344 KB, 1 page) | (Microsoft Word Version, 423 KB, 1 page)

 

30 Second Video

A 30 second video which can be shared. A good way to raise awareness in busy services when staff are short on time!

 Share the link: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/e7Y-c6GrbLQ 

Enter our Quiz!

Enter our quiz to be in with a chance to win a €150 One4all voucher while refreshing your knowledge about Child Safeguarding. Take a few minutes to enter our quiz before 5pm on Tuesday 30 September 2025.

Quiz Poster Image. Take 3 minutes out for Children First. Read the key messages in the link provided and enter the quiz to be in with a chance of winning a €150 All4One voucher. https://rise.articulate.com/share/7o4HuaS3-JqI50oFL0LehcbJw90Vqrs0

Read the key messages and take the quiz. 

 

Recording of Children First Awareness Webinar for HSE Staff

As part of Children First Awareness Week, this webinar has been recorded to assist all HSE staff in recognising, responding and reporting child protection and welfare concerns. It will provide you with information on your responsibilities under Children First.

Further Children First awareness resources, can be found on the Gov.ie Children First webpage. 

 

Archived - 2024 Children First Awareness Campaign:

Take a look at the child safeguarding key messages posters and the practice scenarios from the HSE's 2024 campaign.