The Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) has today published a report on a children’s residential centre operated by the Child and family Agency (Tusla) in the Dublin North East area.
HIQA is authorised by the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth 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 Tusla. HIQA monitors Tusla’s performance against the National Standards for Children’s Residential Centres and advises the Minister and Tusla.

HIQA conducted an unannounced inspection over two days on 28 February and 1 March 2023. This inspection was a routine inspection to monitor the quality of the service and the level of compliance with the national standards. The inspection assessed eight national standards and found that seven standards were assessed as compliant and one was assessed as substantially compliant.

The centre was well run and management provided good leadership to the staff team. There was a clear management structure in place that supported a competent and confident staff team, ensuring a sustainable provision of child-centred and individualised care. Risk management systems in place were effective and were reviewed regularly. 

Managers and staff demonstrated a high level of commitment to the care of the young people. The care provided to young people in the centre was of very good quality and was catered to the individual needs of the young people. This was clear through interactions with staff and young people and was reflected in young peoples’ case records. Inspectors found that staff were skilled and sensitive in responding to the needs of young people in the centre and were creative in the ways in which they supported them.  

Young people were informed of and encouraged to exercise their rights, and their dignity and privacy was respected by all staff. The centre was a welcoming and safe place for young people to live.

Young people were safeguarded from abuse and experienced care that supported positive behaviour. At times, this meant placing some restrictions on young people. The use of restrictive practices were appropriately risk assessed, recorded and regularly reviewed. They were managed in line with Tusla’s national policy and were in the best interest of the young people. 

Further improvements were required in the use of these restrictive practices and the impact of these practices on all of the young people living in the centre.

The inspection report and compliance plan can be found at the link below.