THE Isle of Man is making major progress in implementing the recommendations of the Child Protection Policy as adopted by the UK government earlier this year.

Minister for Social Care Chris Robertshaw, speaking in Tynwald this morning, said a number of the recommendations made in Professor Eileen Munro’s report had been implemented and others were proceeding.

“My department has already implemented six of the recommendations, three are in the process of being implemented and three more will be introduced within the next twelve months.”

He added that the additional ten staff recruited in this area will enable a restructure of how the Isle of Man handles high risk cases in the future.

Mr Robertshaw was replying in response to a question from Speaker of the House of Keys Steve Rodan (Garff). The Minister gave a lengthy reply outlining how the Department of Social Care was tackling the many issues contained in the Munro Report which was published in May this year.

He said that the UK government had welcomed Professor Munro’s recommendations and that the Department of Social Care “wholeheartedly welcomed” the review and in July this year in Tynwald announced that it had embarked on “an ambitious programme to improve.”

Mr Robertshaw added, “My department wishes to ensure that everything possible is being done to support the child and to know when to intervene when there is potential for significant harm to the child in question . . . 

“My department has considered the report and monitored subsequent developments in the UK and is considering which are relevant to the Isle of Man.”