The impact of Covid-19 on child protection in Ireland has been described as "a perfect storm". Considerable numbers of children experienced significant abuse, neglect, trauma, or other ill-effects that might not have occurred if the pandemic had not happened, according to the 2021 Annual Report by Ireland's Special Rapporteur on Child Protection.
Professor Conor O'Mahoney says governments internationally tended to view children as "passive objects" during the crisis rather than autonomous agent and their interests were not always prioritised amid the many difficult decisions that needed to be made.
According to the report, the most negative impacts fell disproportionately on the most disadvantaged and marginalised children. "Child poverty increased, while many children and young people experienced negative impacts on their physical and especially their mental health," he says.
The report notes that many children were forced to stay at home in unsafe environments during an enormous spike in levels of domestic abuse and some "exceptionally serious cases of neglect" presented themselves in the courts.