Seen and Heard: Joseph Duffy on the Ombudsman for Children's Office

Joseph Duffy, CEO of Headstrong, gives Louise Denvir his views on the 10 years of the Ombudsman for Children's Office and what it means for an organisation like Headstrong.

Headstrong is the National Centre for Youth Mental Health - a non-profit organisation supporting young people's mental health in Ireland.

http://headstrong.ie/

For more information on Children's Rights and the 'Its Your Right' campaign, visit the Its Your Right website:

http://itsyourright.ie/

Hear from more of the leading experts in the industry, and advocates for children's rights on the It's Your Right Vimeo Channel:

https://vimeo.com/album/2864707

Transcript Below

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Joseph Duffy; I’m doctor Joseph Duffy, I’m acting CEO of headstrong.

Question; And Joseph, what are your views on the tenth anniversary of the ombudsman for children’s office? It’s successes, it’s role?

Joseph Duffy; I think, I suppose we know or we're very familiar with some of the big reports, the Ryan Report and the issues in terms of the past but I suppose it’s now thinking about the reality for children now and children in poverty and about the rights that are not being protected or respected and about how do we begin to think about those. I suppose reflecting on the Ombudsman now and the needs of the Ombudsman, we need to think about our children now and what are their needs and the reality of how do we support them in terms of their voices being heard but when they’re heard that they’re listened to and there’s actions taken and they are very involved.

Question; what does the Ombudsman’s Office mean for an organisation like Headstrong?

Joseph Duffy; I think what’s important for Headstrong is that the Ombudsman’s Office provides support, provides assistance, direction, advice and also I suppose provides the atmosphere and helps to change the culture in terms of thinking about children, thinking about their place in Ireland, particularly in terms of hearing their voice and helping us a lot of the young people that we would work with in Headstrong would say to us, 'you’re not giving us a voice, we have the voice already, what you’re helping us to do is help our voice to be heard.' and that’s hugely important to recognise. I think what it has done, is put children’s rights much more central in people’s minds and I think the idea of looking at the anniversary here, if the referendum hadn’t been passed, I think we’d be in a very sad state. I think the reality of it now being passed is really a call to action for us all.

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