Children’s Health Ireland Sets a New Standard for Digital Safety Across Five Hospital Locations with Friendly WiFi Certification

Image: Aerial view of the new children’s hospital in Dublin | Credit: Image courtesy of Arup

Dublin, Ireland — Children’s Health Ireland (CHI) is raising the bar for digital wellbeing in healthcare by achieving Friendly WiFi certification across five hospital locations, including its new National Children’s Hospital in Dublin ahead of its opening, creating safer online environments for children, families, and visitors at some of Ireland’s busiest healthcare sites.

Children’s Health Ireland is one of the first hospital groups in Ireland to implement the recognised public WiFi safety standard across multiple hospital sites.

The certification covers:

• National Children’s Hospital Ireland (New Children’s Hospital, Dublin – certified in preparation for opening)

• Children’s Health Ireland at Connolly (Blanchardstown)

• Children’s Health Ireland at Tallaght

• Children’s Health Ireland at Crumlin

• Children’s Health Ireland at Temple Street

In today’s hospitals, WiFi is far more than a convenience — it supports learning during long stays, helps families stay connected, and provides access to vital digital services and information. By adopting Friendly WiFi, Children’s Health Ireland is ensuring this essential connectivity is delivered safely, helping to protect young patients while giving parents and carers added peace of mind.

This initiative reflects CHI’s forward-thinking approach to patient experience and safeguarding, recognising that digital safety is now a core part of modern healthcare. Friendly WiFi certification helps prevent access to harmful online content across public networks, creating reassuring digital spaces where children and vulnerable users can connect with confidence.

Paul Reddy, Senior Infrastructure Project Manager at Children’s Health Ireland, said:

“Safe, reliable WiFi is now an essential part of the hospital experience for children and families. Friendly WiFi certification helps us show we provide safe connectivity across our sites, giving parents added reassurance while supporting learning, communication, and access to digital services. We’re pleased to be strengthening our digital safeguarding as part of CHI’s commitment to patient wellbeing.”

Mike Davies, Director at Friendly WiFi, said:

“Hospitals play an incredibly important role in supporting children and families, often during some of life’s most challenging moments. Safe, reliable WiFi is now a fundamental part of that experience. Children’s Health Ireland is showing real leadership by embedding digital safeguarding into its hospital environments, setting an example that healthcare organisations everywhere can follow.”

The certification programme was delivered in partnership with Dimension Network Systems, who supported Children’s Health Ireland throughout the rollout.

Siobhán Stynes, Director at Dimension Network Systems, said:

“It’s been a pleasure supporting CHI on this project. Safe connectivity is now fundamental in healthcare, and this certification highlights CHI’s leadership in creating trusted digital environments.”

With thousands of families accessing WiFi across CHI locations every day, this achievement represents a meaningful investment in wellbeing, trust, and digital responsibility — reinforcing Children’s Health Ireland’s commitment to creating safer, more supportive healthcare environments for all.

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ENDS

Media enquiries: media@rdi-online.co.uk

About Children’s Health Ireland

Children’s Health Ireland (CHI) is the statutory organisation responsible for paediatric hospital services in Ireland, caring for children and young people from across the country. CHI operates hospitals at Crumlin, Temple Street, Tallaght, and Connolly, and is leading the development of the new children’s hospital at St James’s in Dublin. CHI is committed to delivering safe, high-quality, and child-centred care, supported by modern facilities, innovation, and digital technologies that enhance the experience of patients, families, and staff.

About Friendly WiFi

Friendly WiFi is the world’s first public WiFi safety standard, helping organisations create safer digital spaces by independently verifying that public networks meet recommended filtering guidelines.

About Dimension Network Systems

Dimension Network Systems is a trusted provider of secure network infrastructure and managed connectivity services, supporting healthcare and enterprise organisations across Ireland. The company specialises in the design, deployment, and management of resilient, secure network environments that enable safe and reliable access to critical digital services. Dimension works closely with healthcare providers to ensure connectivity solutions meet the highest standards of performance, security, and patient safeguarding.