Today, the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) has published two reports on children’s residential centres operated by the Child and Family Agency (Tusla), in the South and South East regions. 

In 2025, HIQA commenced a programme of inspections focused on the safeguarding of children and young people living in children’s residential centres, and on how effective the leadership and management of each centre is at ensuring a rights-based, good quality and safe service. These inspections were undertaken as part of this programme.

Both inspections were unannounced, with one taking place in October and one in November 2025. 

One centre was assessed against seven national standards, and the other was assessed against eight standards. The centre in the South region was found to be compliant with one, substantially compliant with four and not compliant with two national standards. The other centre in the South East region was found to be compliant with six and not compliant with two national standards. 

Overall, the inspections found that children were treated with dignity and respect. Staff demonstrated a strong commitment to providing a high level of care and support that was based on children’s individual safeguarding needs, in order to promote their wellbeing and personal development. Children were supported and encouraged to exercise choice and make age-appropriate decisions about their day-to-day activities, which were in line with their safeguarding needs. 

In both centres, the suite of national policies and procedures guiding staff practice in children’s residential centres required updating. Both centres also required improvements in staff supervision. Supervision was not taking place on a regular basis and the quality of records varied in detail and discussion. 

In the centre in the South region, the governance and management systems in place promoted safe care practices and children were provided with good quality care. Risk management systems were in place for the identification and assessment of risks. Risk assessments were of good quality and contained appropriate and adequate measures in response to identified risks and were reviewed. The centre had effective arrangements in place for the external oversight, review and learning from centre incidents. However, internal auditing systems to effectively consider safeguarding risks and concerns were not fully implemented, and centre records lacked sufficient detail in relation to the learning outcomes. 

In the centre in the South East region, management and staff were knowledgeable about ensuring safe practice and appropriate responses to concerns about the safety or welfare of children in the centre. There were clear lines of accountability with staff and management aware of their roles and responsibilities. However, governance required strengthening in relation to the recruitment practices in safeguarding the best interests of children. This risk was escalated to the regional manager who provided assurances that action would be taken to come back into compliance with one of the national standards and legislation. When restrictive practices were used, children were included to ensure a child-centred approach was taken. 

Following the inspections, Tusla submitted satisfactory compliance plans to address the issues identified during the inspections. 

Note:

• HIQA is authorised by the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality under Section 69 of the Child Care Act, 1991, as amended by Section 26 of the Child Care (Amendment) Act 2011, to inspect children’s residential care services provided by the Child and Family Agency (Tusla). HIQA monitors Tusla’s performance against the National Standards for Children’s Residential Centres and advises the Minister and Tusla.