Irish Child Abuse Inquiries in Social and Cultural Context: a report on reports

Irish Child Abuse Inquiries in Social and Cultural Context: a report on reports.

Funder: Irish Research Council Collaborative Projects Scheme

Project Team: Prof. Fred Powell (PI) and Dr. Margaret Scanlon

Duration: October 2012 - September 2013

Over the last two decades a series of high profile inquiries revealed the abuse of children, both in the home and in church-run institutions. While much of the debate on these inquiries has focused on their findings and recommendations, we will take a different approach by exploring the socio-cultural context in which they emerged; the media’s representation of the inquiries; and the implications for the Catholic Church, the social work profession and child protection policy. We will argue that while the inquiries certainly expose the tragedy of child abuse, they also reveal much about the changing nature of Irish society.

This project is a collaboration between the School of Applied Social Studies and ISS21.