BackAn investigation by the Ombudsman for Children found significant gaps in the approach to registering, inspecting and monitoring of children’s residential centres which are run by private and voluntary agencies. He has recommended that the inspection of these centres should transfer to HIQA without delay.
Ombudsman for Children, Dr. Niall Muldoon commented that: “The process of inspecting, registering and monitoring these residential centres is an important safeguard for children who are living there. Failure to carry out these functions effectively can potentially have an adverse effect on those children. By seeking to have HIQA take over this process I am looking to create confidence in the independence and consistency of the process for overseeing the homes of some of our most vulnerable children.”
The Ombudsman for Children made his comments as he published an own volition investigation by his Office, into the HSE’s (now Tusla – the Child and Family Agency) registration, inspection and monitoring service for children’s residential centres run by private (for profit) and voluntary agencies. He carried out this investigation in accordance with Section 13(2) of the Ombudsman for Children Act 2002.
While HIQA provides the inspection, registration and monitoring of State run children’s residential centres it is Tusla (formerly the HSE) who provide the same service within the non-statutory children’s centres. This disparity and clear lack of independence was highlighted, by the Ombudsman for Children’s Office (OCO) to the United Nations, as far back as 2011.
There are approximately 100 private and voluntary children’s residential centres across four HSE/Tusla regions in Ireland. These cater for 341 (at May 2014)* children and the annual budget for these was approximately €49 million in 2013. The investigation looked at Inspection reports from 49 centres and Monitoring reports from 60 centres all relating to the period between January 1st 2012 and 31 August 2013.
The Ombudsman for Children concluded by saying that “it is hoped that this investigation will positively influence the ongoing reforms of Ireland’s child and family support services. Given the importance of independent inspection and of ensuring that all children in the care of the State receive the same standard of care, it is important that the transfer of these functions to HIQA is progressed without delay”.
You can access the entire report here.
Source: Ombudsman for Children, Ireland
