Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children
Encyclopedia
The Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (ISPCC) is an Irish charity that advocates for children's rights and provides services for children in need. It was founded as a successor to the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children which had operated in Ireland from 1889 to 1956.
The first Irish branch of the NSPCC was founded in Dublin in May 1889, with branches founded in Cork
and Belfast
in 1891.
Inspectors acted independently and were not answerable to the branch committee, though they were answerable to the honorary secretary of the committee, though the onus was on the inspector to communicate with superiors.
became a patron of the society in 1956 the criticism of industrial schools advocacy of adoption and case studies vanished from reports. Membership also changed under McQuaid, who had targeted traditionally Protestant organisations such as the ISPCC and recruited larges numbers of Catholics who then gained positions of control.
ers took over the role of inspectors and in 1970 the Health boards
took over other functions of the society.
, though the exact extend is not clear because of lack of records - the society states that some were lost in a fire in their office in 1961 and some may have been lost in the changeover from the NSPCC in 1956. Frank Duff
criticised the society in a letter to John Charles McQuaid in 1941.
The Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse
concluded that the society had played an important role in committing children to industrial schools, though the exact extent is unclear as some reports are missing. Poverty was the main reason children were committed to residential care - the idea of supporting families with financial aid was advocated by the society as early as 1951.
, Leanbh - a service dealing with children who beg, Childfocus - a service supporting children under 12 with emotional difficulties, and Teenfocus - a service supporting teenagers with emotional difficulties and a Mentoring Support Project to support children, teenagers and parents or guardians.
The ISPCC also advocates for children's rights.
in relation to non payment of commissions to collectors. He gained an injunction barring the DPP from bringing a prosecution against on the grounds that the delay in instituting criminal proceedings had prejudiced him in obtaining a fair trial.
In September 2011 an ISPCC advert titled "I Can't Wait Until I Grow Up" featuring a young boy being repeatedly assaulted by a man
was banned by the Advertising Standards Authority for Ireland (ASAI) for breaching rules on gender equality
. The ASAI noted that previous adverts by the charity also solely featured male abusers and that "the portrayal of only male characters as the abusers was in breach of the provisions of the Code". The code states that "marketing communications should respect the principle of the equality of men and women" and "should avoid sex stereotyping and any exploitation or demeaning of men and women". The ISPCC technically complied with the ruling by removing the video from it's own website but neglected to remove the banned video from Youtube
and claimed that the decision would make it difficult for them to produce material on child abuse in future.
, Colin Farrell
, Damian Duff, Grainne Seoige
, Ian Dempsey
, Louis Walsh
, Martin King
, Mary O'Rourke
, Mikey Graham
, Miriam O'Callagahn, Pat Kenny
, Robbie Keane
, The Script, and Westlife
.
The first Irish branch of the NSPCC was founded in Dublin in May 1889, with branches founded in Cork
Cork (city)
Cork is the second largest city in the Republic of Ireland and the island of Ireland's third most populous city. It is the principal city and administrative centre of County Cork and the largest city in the province of Munster. Cork has a population of 119,418, while the addition of the suburban...
and Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
in 1891.
Inspectors
Each branch of the NSPCC and ISPCC had an inspector who was paid a salary and was provided with a house that doubled as a local office. Their job was to investigate child abuse or neglect. They were nearly all men and were recruited from the ranks of retired army personnel and police. Each answered to a local committee of volunteers. A brown uniform was worn by inspectors and they were popularly known as "cruelty men".Inspectors acted independently and were not answerable to the branch committee, though they were answerable to the honorary secretary of the committee, though the onus was on the inspector to communicate with superiors.
Social conditions
From the 1930s to the 1940s many people lived in squalid conditions. From the 1930s to the 1950s reports by the society graphically described the conditions that people lived in, as well as advocating that children moved from their families live with new families rather than be sent to industrial schools. When John Charles McQuaidJohn Charles McQuaid
John Charles McQuaid, C.S.Sp. was the Catholic Archbishop of Dublin and Primate of Ireland between December 1940 and February 1972.- Early life 1895-1914:...
became a patron of the society in 1956 the criticism of industrial schools advocacy of adoption and case studies vanished from reports. Membership also changed under McQuaid, who had targeted traditionally Protestant organisations such as the ISPCC and recruited larges numbers of Catholics who then gained positions of control.
Change in role
In 1968 social workSocial work
Social Work is a professional and academic discipline that seeks to improve the quality of life and wellbeing of an individual, group, or community by intervening through research, policy, community organizing, direct practice, and teaching on behalf of those afflicted with poverty or any real or...
ers took over the role of inspectors and in 1970 the Health boards
Health Board
The Health Board system of the Republic of Ireland was created by the 1970 Health Act. This system was initially created with eight health boards, each of which were prescribed a functional area in which they operated...
took over other functions of the society.
Industrial schools
Both the NSPCC and ISPCC had a role in committing children to industrial schoolsIndustrial Schools in Ireland
Industrial Schools, were established in Ireland under the Industrial Schools Act of 1868 to care for "neglected, orphaned and abandoned children". By 1884, there were 5,049 children in such institutions throughout the country....
, though the exact extend is not clear because of lack of records - the society states that some were lost in a fire in their office in 1961 and some may have been lost in the changeover from the NSPCC in 1956. Frank Duff
Frank Duff (religious worker)
Servant of God Francis Michael "Frank" Duff was a native of Dublin, Ireland, the eldest child of a wealthy family. He is best known for bringing attention to the role of the laity during the Second Vatican Council of the Roman Catholic Church, and for founding the Legion of Mary.-Early life:Frank...
criticised the society in a letter to John Charles McQuaid in 1941.
The Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse
Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse
The Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse is one of a range of measures introduced by the Irish Government to investigate the extent and effects of abuse on children from 1936 onwards. It is commonly known in Ireland as the Ryan Commission , after its chair, Justice Seán Ryan...
concluded that the society had played an important role in committing children to industrial schools, though the exact extent is unclear as some reports are missing. Poverty was the main reason children were committed to residential care - the idea of supporting families with financial aid was advocated by the society as early as 1951.
Services
The ISPCC operates several services for children: the Irish ChildlineChildLine
ChildLine is a free 24 hour counselling service for children and young people up to 18 in the UK provided by the NSPCC. ChildLine deals with any issue which causes distress or concern, common issues dealt with include child abuse, bullying, parental separation or divorce, pregnancy and substance...
, Leanbh - a service dealing with children who beg, Childfocus - a service supporting children under 12 with emotional difficulties, and Teenfocus - a service supporting teenagers with emotional difficulties and a Mentoring Support Project to support children, teenagers and parents or guardians.
The ISPCC also advocates for children's rights.
Funding and expenditure
In 201 the ISPCC had an income of €6.5 million. It spent more than one third of this on fund-raising and promotion.Controversies
In 1999 ISPCC Chief Executive Cian O Tighearnaigh resigned his post following accusations of fraudFraud
In criminal law, a fraud is an intentional deception made for personal gain or to damage another individual; the related adjective is fraudulent. The specific legal definition varies by legal jurisdiction. Fraud is a crime, and also a civil law violation...
in relation to non payment of commissions to collectors. He gained an injunction barring the DPP from bringing a prosecution against on the grounds that the delay in instituting criminal proceedings had prejudiced him in obtaining a fair trial.
In September 2011 an ISPCC advert titled "I Can't Wait Until I Grow Up" featuring a young boy being repeatedly assaulted by a man
was banned by the Advertising Standards Authority for Ireland (ASAI) for breaching rules on gender equality
Gender equality
Gender equality is the goal of the equality of the genders, stemming from a belief in the injustice of myriad forms of gender inequality.- Concept :...
. The ASAI noted that previous adverts by the charity also solely featured male abusers and that "the portrayal of only male characters as the abusers was in breach of the provisions of the Code". The code states that "marketing communications should respect the principle of the equality of men and women" and "should avoid sex stereotyping and any exploitation or demeaning of men and women". The ISPCC technically complied with the ruling by removing the video from it's own website but neglected to remove the banned video from Youtube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
and claimed that the decision would make it difficult for them to produce material on child abuse in future.
Ambassadors
The list include: Brian O'DriscollBrian O'Driscoll
Brian O'Driscoll is an Irish professional rugby union player. He is the current captain of the Ireland Rugby team and captained Leinster Rugby until the start of 2008 season. He also captained the British and Irish Lions for their 2005 tour of New Zealand...
, Colin Farrell
Colin Farrell
Colin James Farrell is an Irish actor, who has appeared in such film as Tigerland, Miami Vice, Minority Report, Phone Booth, The Recruit, Alexander and S.W.A.T....
, Damian Duff, Grainne Seoige
Gráinne Seoige
Gráinne Seoige is an Irish television presenter, Gaeilgeoir, and "fashion icon",Gráinne Seoige is one of the few television presenters who has worked for all terrestrial channels in the Republic of Ireland at some point. She has worked as a news anchor on TG4, TV3 and Sky News Ireland...
, Ian Dempsey
Ian Dempsey
Ian Michael Dempsey is an Irish presenter of television and breakfast radio. He is the long-running presenter of the breakfast show on Today FM, self-titled The Ian Dempsey Breakfast Show, which runs from 07:00 - 09:00 each weekday morning...
, Louis Walsh
Louis Walsh
Louis Walsh is an Irish music manager and judge on the British television talent show The X Factor.-Band manager:...
, Martin King
Martin King
Martin King may refer to:*Martin Luther King, Jr. , Baptist minister and civil rights activist*Martin Luther King, Sr. , Baptist minister and the father of Martin Luther King, Jr....
, Mary O'Rourke
Mary O'Rourke
Mary O'Rourke is a former Irish Fianna Fáil politician. She is a former Teachta Dála for the Longford–Westmeath and Westmeath constituencies. She served as Minister for Education , Minister for Health and Minister for Public Enterprise...
, Mikey Graham
Mikey Graham
Michael Graham - also known as Mikey Graham - is an Irish singer-songwriter, actor and music producer, best known as a member of pop group Boyzone, and in 2010 he was a contestant on Dancing on Ice.-Early life:The youngest of seven children, Graham was born to housewife Sheila and carpenter...
, Miriam O'Callagahn, Pat Kenny
Pat Kenny
Patrick "Pat" Kenny is an Irish broadcaster and former disc jockey and continuity announcer. He is employed by Raidió Teilifís Éireann and is their highest paid presenter. He presents Today with Pat Kenny on RTÉ Radio 1 each weekday morning between 10:00 and midday...
, Robbie Keane
Robbie Keane
Robert David "Robbie" Keane is an Irish association football player who plays as a striker for Los Angeles Galaxy in Major League Soccer and captains the Irish national football team....
, The Script, and Westlife
Westlife
Westlife are an Irish boy band established on 3 July 1998. They are to disband in 2012. The group's line-up was Nicky Byrne, Kian Egan, Mark Feehily, Shane Filan, and Brian McFadden . The group are the only act in British and Irish history to have their first seven singles peak at number one...
.