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Policies and Procedures

Child Protection Statement

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Commitment to Children's Safety

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Dr Paul O'Callaghan is committed to providing a safe, respectful and supportive environment for every child and young person who accesses educational and literacy services. The welfare and best interests of children are paramount in all aspects of practice.

All services are delivered in accordance with the principles outlined in:

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  • Children First Act 2015

  • Children First: National Guidance for the Protection and Welfare of Children (2017)

  • Data Protection Act 2018

  • General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)

  • Relevant professional codes of ethics and standards applicable to psychological and educational practice in Ireland.

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Services Provided

Services include educational consultation, literacy assessment, structured literacy intervention, dyslexia support, parent consultation and related educational guidance delivered in person and/or online.

Services are provided directly to children only with the knowledge and consent of a parent or legal guardian.

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Guiding Principles

The practice is committed to:

  • promoting children's wellbeing and safety;

  • treating every child with dignity and respect;

  • listening to children's views where appropriate;

  • maintaining professional boundaries;

  • working collaboratively with parents and schools where appropriate;

  • responding appropriately to child protection concerns.

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Safeguarding Responsibilities

The practitioner recognises that every professional working with children has a responsibility to:

  • recognise signs of abuse or neglect;

  • respond appropriately to disclosures;

  • maintain accurate records;

  • consult with Tusla where necessary;

  • report concerns where required under Irish legislation.

The safety and welfare of the child always takes precedence over issues of confidentiality.

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Professional Boundaries

The practice will:

  • maintain appropriate professional relationships with children and families;

  • ensure sessions occur in suitable environments;

  • avoid situations where a child is seen without parental knowledge or consent (except where legally appropriate);

  • communicate professionally with parents regarding appointments and educational matters.

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Working with Parents

Parents remain responsible for their child's welfare throughout all services.

Parents are expected to:

  • provide accurate information regarding their child;

  • inform the practitioner of relevant medical, educational or safeguarding information;

  • attend meetings when requested;

  • supervise children before and after appointments.

For online sessions, a responsible adult should be available within the home during the session.

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Confidentiality

Information shared during sessions is treated confidentially.

However, confidentiality cannot be guaranteed where there are reasonable concerns that:

  • a child is being harmed;

  • a child may be at risk of harm;

  • another person may be at serious risk;

  • disclosure is required by law or court order.

Where possible, concerns will be discussed with parents before information is shared. However, this may not occur if doing so could place a child at additional risk.

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Responding to Child Protection Concerns

Where concerns arise, the practitioner will:

  1. Listen carefully and remain calm.

  2. Reassure the child appropriately.

  3. Record factual information as soon as possible.

  4. Seek advice from Tusla where appropriate.

  5. Submit a report to Tusla where there are reasonable grounds for concern.

  6. Cooperate fully with statutory agencies.

Emergency situations involving immediate danger will be reported to An Garda Síochána and/or emergency services without delay.

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Record Keeping

Safeguarding records will:

  • be factual and contemporaneous;

  • distinguish observation from opinion;

  • be stored securely;

  • be retained in accordance with legal and professional requirements.

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Equality and Inclusion

All children will be treated fairly regardless of:

  • age;

  • disability;

  • ethnicity;

  • religion;

  • gender;

  • sexual orientation;

  • family circumstances;

  • socioeconomic background.

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Safe Practice

The practice aims to ensure:

  • appointments occur in safe environments;

  • appropriate supervision arrangements;

  • secure online platforms for remote sessions;

  • respectful communication;

  • maintenance of professional boundaries at all times.

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Review

This policy will be reviewed annually or sooner if legislation or professional guidance changes.

Last Reviewed: 1 September 2026

Next Review: 31 August 2027

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Privacy/Data Protection Policy

 

Introduction

Dr Paul O'Callaghan is committed to protecting the privacy of children, parents and families and to processing personal information fairly, lawfully and transparently.

This policy explains how personal information is collected, used, stored and protected in accordance with:

  • General Data Protection Regulation (EU 2016/679)

  • Data Protection Act 2018 (Ireland)

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Data Controller

The Data Controller for this practice is:

Dr Paul O'Callaghan

Website: www.drpaulocallaghan.com

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Information Collected

Depending on the services requested, information may include:

  • parent or guardian names;

  • contact details;

  • child's name and date of birth;

  • school details;

  • educational history;

  • assessment information;

  • reports provided by parents or schools;

  • session records;

  • correspondence relating to appointments;

  • invoices and payment records.

Only information necessary for providing professional services is collected.

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Purpose of Processing

Personal information is processed to:

  • respond to enquiries;

  • arrange appointments;

  • provide educational and literacy services;

  • maintain professional records;

  • communicate with parents;

  • prepare reports where agreed;

  • comply with legal and professional obligations.

Information will not be used for unrelated purposes without consent or another lawful basis.

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Lawful Basis

Personal information is processed on one or more of the following lawful bases:

  • consent;

  • performance of a contract for professional services;

  • compliance with legal obligations;

  • legitimate interests relating to the safe and effective delivery of educational services.

Where special category personal data is processed, processing will occur only where permitted under GDPR and Irish law.

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Sharing Information

Information will not normally be shared without consent.

However, information may be shared where:

  • required by law;

  • necessary to protect a child or another person from harm;

  • required by court order;

  • requested by statutory agencies acting within their legal powers.

With parental consent, information may also be shared with schools or other professionals involved in supporting the child.

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Storage and Security

Personal information is protected through appropriate technical and organisational measures, including:

  • password-protected devices;

  • encrypted storage where appropriate;

  • secure electronic record keeping;

  • restricted access;

  • regular software and security updates.

Paper records, where used, are stored securely.

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Website Information

The website may collect limited technical information such as:

  • IP address;

  • browser type;

  • pages visited;

  • cookies.

Cookies are used only where necessary to improve website functionality and user experience.

Users can control cookies through their browser settings.

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Contact Forms

Information submitted through contact forms is used solely to respond to enquiries and arrange services.

Submitting an enquiry does not create a therapeutic or professional relationship.

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Retention of Records

Records are retained only for as long as necessary to:

  • provide services;

  • meet legal obligations;

  • comply with professional record-retention requirements.

Records are securely destroyed when no longer required.

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Your Rights

Under GDPR you have the right to:

  • request access to your personal data;

  • request correction of inaccurate information;

  • request erasure where legally appropriate;

  • restrict certain processing;

  • object to certain processing;

  • receive your data in a portable format where applicable;

  • lodge a complaint with the Data Protection Commission.

Some rights may be limited where professional or legal obligations require information to be retained.

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Confidentiality

All reasonable steps are taken to maintain confidentiality.

However, confidentiality may be limited where:

  • there is a child protection concern;

  • there is a serious risk to an individual;

  • disclosure is required by law.

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Third-Party Services

The practice may use secure third-party providers for appointment scheduling, video consultations, email communication or payment processing. These providers are expected to comply with applicable data protection requirements.

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Contact

Questions regarding this Privacy Policy or the processing of personal information can be directed to: Dr Paul O'Callaghan

Website: www.drpaulocallaghan.com

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Policy Review

This policy will be reviewed annually and updated where necessary to reflect changes in legislation, professional guidance or practice.

Last Reviewed: 1 September 2026

Next Review: 31 August 2027

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