(LRC Revised)

Number 36 of 2015

CHILDREN FIRST ACT 2015

REVISED

Updated to 23 June 2026

Changes to legislation

as of 10 July 2026, this Act is up to date with all changes known to be in force.

This Revised Act is an administrative consolidation of the

Children First Act 2015

. It is prepared by the Law Reform Commission in accordance with its function under

the

Law Reform Commission Act 1975

(3/1975) to keep the law under review and to undertake revision and consolidation

of statute law.

All Acts up to and including

Air Pollution (Amendment) Act 2026

(14/2026), enacted 18 June 2026 and all statutory

instruments up to and including

Child Care Act 1991 (Section 35L (3)) (Prescribed Classes) Regulations 2026

(S.I. No. 288 of 2026), made 23 June 2026, were considered in the preparation of

this

Revised Act.

Disclaimer: While every care has

been taken in the preparation of this Revised Act, the Law Reform Commission can assume

no responsibility for and give no guarantees, undertakings or warranties concerning

the

accuracy, completeness or up to date nature of the information provided and does not

accept any liability whatsoever arising from any errors or omissions. Please notify

any

errors, omissions and comments by email to revisedacts@lawreform.ie.

Number

36

of

2015

Children First Act 2015

REVISED

Updated to 23 June 2026

CONTENTS

PART 1

Preliminary and General

Section

1. Short title and commencement

2. Definitions

3. Regulations

4. Service of notices

5. Expenses

6. Guidelines

7. Best interests of child

PART 2

Child Safeguarding Statements

8. Definitions for purposes of Part 2

9. Application of Part

10. Child safeguarding

11. Risk assessment and child safeguarding statements, etc.

12. Non-compliance with request to furnish child safeguarding statement

13. Register of non-compliance

PART 3

Reporting

14. Mandated persons

15. Authorised persons

16. Agency may request mandated persons to assist with assessments

17. Information obtained by Agency or other persons pursuant to Act

18. Agency is specified body for purposes of National Vetting Bureau (Children and

Vulnerable Persons) Act 2012

19. Views of child - amendment of Child and Family Agency Act 2013

PART 4

Children First Inter-Departmental Implementation Group and Sectoral Implementation

Plans

20. Children First Inter-Departmental Implementation Group

21. Membership of Implementation Group

22. Functions of Implementation Group

23. Directions of Minister

24. Conditions and cessation of membership

25. Meetings and procedures

26. Reports

27. Sectoral implementation plans

PART 5

Miscellaneous

28. Abolition of defence of reasonable chastisement

SCHEDULE 1

Relevant Services

SCHEDULE 2

Mandated Persons

SCHEDULE 3

Offences for Purposes of Paragraph (a) of Definition of “Sexual Abuse” in Section 2

Acts Referred to

Adoption Act 2010

(No. 21)

Child and Family Agency Act 2013

(No. 40)

Child Care Act 1991

(No. 17)

Child Trafficking and Pornography Act 1998

(No. 22)

Children Act 2001

(No. 24)

Companies Acts

Criminal Justice (Community Service) Act 1983

(No. 23)

Criminal Justice (Withholding of Information on Offences against Children and Vulnerable

Persons) Act 2012

(No. 24)

Criminal Justice Act 2006

(No. 26)

Criminal Law (Human Trafficking) Act 2008

(No. 8)

Criminal Law (Rape) (Amendment) Act 1990

(No. 32)

Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 1993

(No. 20)

Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 2006

(No. 15)

Dentists Act 1985

(No. 9)

Education Act 1998

(No. 51)

Employment Agency Act 1971

(No. 27)

Health Act 2007

(No. 23)

Health and Social Care Professionals Act 2005

(No. 27)

Medical Practitioners Act 2007

(No. 25)

National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Act 2012

(No. 47)

Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act 1997

(No. 26)

Nurses and Midwives Act 2011

(No. 41)

Ombudsman for Children Act 2002

(No. 22)

Petty Sessions (Ireland) Act 1851

(14 & 15 Vic, c. 93)

Protections for Persons Reporting Child Abuse Act 1998

(No. 49)

Punishment of Incest Act 1908

(8 Edw. 7, c. 45)

Youth Work Act 2001

(No. 42)

Number

36

of

2015

CHILDREN FIRST ACT 2015

REVISED

Updated to 23 June 2026

An Act for the purposes of making further and better provision for the care and protection

of children and for those purposes to require the preparation, by certain providers

of services to children, of child safeguarding statements; to require certain persons

to make reports to the Child and Family Agency in respect of children in certain circumstances;

to require certain persons to assist the Child and Family Agency in certain circumstances;

to provide for the establishment of the Children First Inter-Departmental Implementation

Group; to make provision for the preparation of sectoral implementation plans by Departments

of State; to provide for the abolition of the common law defence of reasonable chastisement

and, for that purpose, to amend the

Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act 1997

; and to provide for related matters.

[19

th November

, 2015]

Be it enacted by the Oireachtas as follows

Annotations

Modifications (not altering text)

C1

Application of Act extended (30.06.2018) by

European Communities

(Reception Conditions) Regulations 2018

(S.I. No. 230 of 2018), reg. 10(3),

in operation as per reg. 1(2).

Unaccompanied minors

10. ...

(3) The Child Care Act 1991 as amended, the Child and Family Agency Act 2013, the

Children First Act 2015 and other enactments relating to the care and welfare of persons

who have not attained the age of 18 years shall apply to unaccompanied minors.

...

Annotations

Modifications (not altering text)

C1

Application of Act extended (30.06.2018) by

European Communities

(Reception Conditions) Regulations 2018

(S.I. No. 230 of 2018), reg. 10(3),

in operation as per reg. 1(2).

Unaccompanied minors

10. ...

(3) The Child Care Act 1991 as amended, the Child and Family Agency Act 2013, the

Children First Act 2015 and other enactments relating to the care and welfare of persons

who have not attained the age of 18 years shall apply to unaccompanied minors.

...

CONTENTS

PART 1

Preliminary and General

Section

1. Short title and commencement

2. Definitions

3. Regulations

4. Service of notices

5. Expenses

6. Guidelines

7. Best interests of child

PART 2

Child Safeguarding Statements

8. Definitions for purposes of Part 2

9. Application of Part

10. Child safeguarding

11. Risk assessment and child safeguarding statements, etc.

12. Non-compliance with request to furnish child safeguarding statement

13. Register of non-compliance

PART 3

Reporting

14. Mandated persons

15. Authorised persons

16. Agency may request mandated persons to assist with assessments

17. Information obtained by Agency or other persons pursuant to Act

18. Agency is specified body for purposes of National Vetting Bureau (Children and

Vulnerable Persons) Act 2012

19. Views of child - amendment of Child and Family Agency Act 2013

PART 4

Children First Inter-Departmental Implementation Group and Sectoral Implementation

Plans

20. Children First Inter-Departmental Implementation Group

21. Membership of Implementation Group

22. Functions of Implementation Group

23. Directions of Minister

24. Conditions and cessation of membership

25. Meetings and procedures

26. Reports

27. Sectoral implementation plans

PART 5

Miscellaneous

28. Abolition of defence of reasonable chastisement

SCHEDULE 1

Relevant Services

SCHEDULE 2

Mandated Persons

SCHEDULE 3

Offences for Purposes of Paragraph (a) of Definition of “Sexual Abuse” in Section 2

Number

36

of

2015