Child protection and safeguarding inspections

This guide explains how the department carries out Child Protection and Safeguarding Inspections in primary and post-primary schools in Ireland, as well as in education centres and other learning settings. It will come into effect from September 2025.

This guide was created after the Child Protection Procedures for Schools 2025 were published. These procedures update the previous Child Protection Procedures for Primary and Post-Primary Schools (revised 2023), following discussions between the Department of Education and Youth and education partners.

This guide should be read in conjunction with Circular 0041/2025 Publication of Child Protection Procedures for Schools 2025. Schools are advised that any new requirements of the 2025 procedures, which were not in the previous procedures, will not be inspected until a school has formally adopted the 2025 procedures.