Govt’s teen care failure exposed in shock report & lack of places for high-risk kids alert as protection cases examined

A DAMNING report has exposed the Government’s failure to care for teens, warning there are too few places for high risk kids.

The Child Law Project report has highlighted the increasing shortage of suitable care placements for some of the State’s most vulnerable children.

And the head of the project says that it’s time for those at the top of Government to end Ireland’s shameful children in care crisis.

The report, which examined 106 child protection cases heard in the District Court during the first half of this year, found these kids were often placed in unregulated Special Emergency Arrangements, from where they frequently absconded or were exposed to sexual or criminal exploitation.

Dr Carol Coulter, executive director of the Child Law Project, said the report showed how the lack of appropriate placements for an exceptionally vulnerable cohort of children and young people over the past few years put them, and the public, at risk.

Speaking to The Irish Sun, Dr Coulter said it was now the time for the Government to tackle the issue head on, and not leave it all up to the under-fire Child And Family Agency, Tusla.

She said reports from the District Courts from the Child Law Project over recent years have shown there is a real lack of proper Special Care placements for the children who really need them.

A Special Care placement is where a child is placed in a secure, short-term therapeutic care arrangement, where they are detained for their own safety.

“The real issue is that there are not enough of these Special Care placements,” Dr Coulter warned.

“These are for the cohort of children whose behaviour can pose a danger to themselves or even to the public. So it is essential they get these Special Care placements.

“It’s now up to those at the very top in Government to take on this issue and not leave it with Tusla.”

The issue of children in care came to prominence last month after one of the five teenagers to die in a horror wrong-way smash on the M9 in Kildare — that also left three sisters and a boy fighting for their lives — was confirmed to have been in State care at the time of the incident.

Tusla also revealed that two more of the crash teenagers were also known to their services.

The reports from the Child Law Project show District Court judges are repeatedly expressing alarm at the situation around placements for children in care.

Dr Coulter added: “We have a very obvious remit at the Child Law Project to report on what happens at these cases in the District Court.

“Then we publish them and let the reports speak for themselves.

“What they often do show is that judges speak very strongly on this issue and show their frustration when there is a failure of the State to provide proper care placements for these children.

“That’s not surprising as the judiciary often shows a strong interest in these children and wants to see the best outcomes for them.”

One ‘best outcome’ case covered by the Child Law Project in its report showed how one boy in care, who had recently received a ‘Student of the Year’ award in school, was now planning to study social care to help other children.

A Dublin District Court judge agreed to a request to meet with the boy to discuss his future plans.

The judge said that it was “most unusual that we have such a good news story”, adding: “As student of the year, the court wishes him well and thanks all who brought him this far. What’s important is to look to the future.”

And in relation to that case, Dr Coulter said: “From our point of view, it’s really important that these cases get highlighted as this boy clearly got all the supports that he needed and it shows how the outcomes can be much more positive when that is the case.”

Meanwhile, Dr Coulter said it was positive that Tusla was set to phase out its use of unregulated Special Emergency Arrangements — often just hotel bedrooms or bedsits staffed by unqualified adults.

As part of The Irish Sun’s State Of Neglect campaign, we have revealed how Tusla has spent over €200million on SEAs over the past four years, with gardai confirming they were probing allegations of “serious wrongdoing” at a number of the facilities.

Tusla has now admitted it would end the use of SEAs due to their unregulated nature.

The facilities will be replaced by registered private residential centres, Tusla emergency centres or private temporary placements, which will come under State regulations and inspections.

Dr Coulter said that it was also positive that the Department of Children, under Minister Norma Foley, was conducting a widespread review of the broader childcare system in Ireland.

She said: “As part of this, the Department has taken on board issues raised through the Child Law Project’s reports — that is most welcome and shows the work we do is highlighting these cases is having an impact.

“There are also some big changes coming through the Child Care Amendment Act, to put the best interests of the child at the centre of all court and care decisions — which is another positive.

“However, this is not just about Tusla, or even the Department of Children. Those at the top of Government also need to drive this on and ensure there is proper planning and resources in place.”

‘BOY CUT RUNNING AWAY’

A TEENAGER was taken into care due to inappropriate behaviours with his siblings.

He was moved several times, and became more disruptive.

One weekend, he cut himself while getting out of a window, trying to escape the unit.

He was taken to hospital, but the residential unit refused to take him back.

The lad stayed in hospital, watched by a security guard and hospital staff, as no other place could be found for him.

His social worker said it’s because there were 241 other children on their waiting list.

‘HE DIDN’T WANT TO BE FOUND’

A CHILD aged 13 in care was missing for around four days, briefly resurfacing just to collect their belongings.

The young teen had made contact with his care unit the night before and had requested they take down posts from social media relating to him being missing.

He told his care unit he “does not want to be found”.

The judge described the situation as “extremely concerning” and queried the seeming inability of Tusla to meaningfully search for the child.