13Responsibility to prevent abuse or neglect or certain behaviour

13 Responsibility to prevent abuse or neglect or certain behaviour

(1)  An adult who knows, or believes or suspects on reasonable grounds, that a child is suffering, has suffered or is likely to suffer abuse or neglect has a responsibility to take steps to prevent the occurrence or further occurrence of the abuse or neglect.

(1A)  [Section 13 Subsection (1A) inserted by No. 22 of 2009, s. 5, Applied:01 Aug 2009] If, while a woman is pregnant, an adult knows, or believes or suspects on reasonable grounds, that the child of that pregnancy once born –

(a) is reasonably likely to suffer abuse or neglect; or

(b) is reasonably likely to require medical treatment or other intervention as a result of the behaviour of the woman, or another person with whom the woman resides or is likely to reside, before the birth of the child  –

that adult has a responsibility to take steps to prevent the occurrence of that abuse or neglect or that behaviour.

(2)  [Section 13 Subsection (2) substituted by No. 22 of 2009, s. 5, Applied:01 Aug 2009] One step the adult may take to prevent the occurrence of abuse or neglect of a child, or behaviour referred to in subsection (1A)(b) , is to inform the Secretary or a Community-Based Intake Service of –

(a) his or her knowledge, belief or suspicion; and

(b) the basis of that knowledge, belief or suspicion.