The Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) has today published reports on three children’s residential centres operated by the Child and Family Agency (Tusla). 

Earlier this year, HIQA commenced a programme of inspections focused on the safeguarding of children and young people living in children’s residential centres. These three reports are on the first inspections conducted under this programme. 
The inspections focused on the safeguarding of children living in the centres and how effective the leadership and management of the centre were in ensuring that a rights-based, good quality and safe service was being provided to children. Each centre was assessed against the National Standards for Children’s Residential Centres (2018).

In February 2025, inspectors conducted the inspections in two centres in Tusla’s Dublin North East region and one centre in the Dublin Mid Leinster region.

In one centre in the Dublin North East region, of the seven national standards assessed, the centre was found to be compliant with three, substantially compliant with one and not compliant with three national standards.

In the second centre in the Dublin North East region, of the eight national standards assessed, the centre was found to be compliant with three, substantially compliant with two and not compliant with three national standards. 

In a centre in the Dublin Mid Leinster region, of nine of the national standards assessed, the centre was found to be compliant with two, substantially compliant with two and not compliant with five national standards.

Overall, services were child-centred and children received good quality, safe care. Children were treated with dignity and respect and safeguarding practices in the centres respected children’s rights and promoted their welfare. Safeguarding concerns were appropriately reported in line with Children First: National Guidance for the Protection and Welfare of Children (2017). Staff facilitated children to exercise choice in a supportive environment that took into account their safeguarding needs and vulnerabilities. Where required, children were supported to prepare for adulthood and had opportunities to learn appropriate life skills. 

In the Dublin Mid Leinster centre, safety planning and risk management—particularly with regards to premises and fire safety practice—needed improvement. 

There were good management and oversight mechanisms in place to ensure that safe and effective care was provided to the children in each of the centres. 

Areas for improvement across all three centres were identified. Recruitment of staff was not consistently carried out in line with Tusla’s procedure on safe recruitment practices. This included up-to-date An Garda Síochána vetting not being available and inadequate references for agency staff. The provider’s suite of policies and procedures guiding staff practice in children residential centres and those relevant to safeguarding had not been reviewed and updated as required.

Tusla has submitted compliance plans to address the issues identified. 

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.