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 Mid Leinster region. 

Earlier this year, HIQA commenced a programme of inspections focused on the safeguarding of children and young people living in children’s residential centres and of how effective the leadership and management of each centre is at ensuring a rights-based, good quality and safe service. Each centre is assessed against the National Standards for Children’s Residential Centres (2018) and this inspection was undertaken as part of this programme.

This was an unannounced inspection and took place over two days in March 2025.

The inspection found that young people living in the centre received care and support based on their individual safeguarding needs which aimed to maximise their safety, wellbeing and personal development. Staff were trained in all aspects of safeguarding and young people’s rights to education, choice and inclusion in decisions on all aspects of their care was protected and promoted. The governance and management systems in place promoted safe care practices. Effective leadership, governance and management supported a competent and confident staff team to provide safe, good-quality care to young people. Incidents involving children and young people were effectively identified, managed and reviewed in a timely manner in line with the standard.

However, the inspection found that recruitment of staff was not consistently carried out in line with Tusla’s procedure on safe recruitment practices. In addition, the provider’s suite of policies and procedures guiding staff practice in children’s residential centres and those relevant to safeguarding had not been reviewed and updated as required.

Following the inspection, management submitted a satisfactory compliance plan to address the issues identified during the inspection. 

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.