THE ISPCC WANT people to report child begging to them as they seek to continue to reduce the number of children on the streets.

The society’s Leanbh service has an out of hours contact number and a staff that works and engages with children who may be begging.

Leanbh wants anyone who sees a children begging by themselves or with  a parent to contact either themselves or local gardaí with the whereabouts and description of the child.

“We are asking people in Dublin to store the Leanbh number in their mobile phone and to get in touch with us if they see a child begging anywhere on the streets of Dublin,” says the ISPCC’s Siobhan Harvey.

With so many of us enjoying this festive time of year, Leanbh wants to protect the most vulnerable and isolated children in our society.

The Leanbh service was established in 1997 and has worked with vulnerable children, young people and parents from minority ethnic groups during which time the ISPCC say child begging has reduced.

Members of the public who see children involved in begging on the streets of Dublin to contact their out of hours service on 087 0625198.

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