Children’s services publication statement 3 June 2022

Date of publication:

The Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) has today published two inspection reports on children’s residential centres.
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 the Child and Family Agency (Tusla). HIQA monitors Tusla’s performance against the National Standards for Children’s Residential Centres and reports on its findings to the Minister.

Announced inspections of two statutory children’s residential centres in Tusla’s Dublin North East and Dublin Mid Leinster regions, were carried out in March and April 2022. Of the nine standards assessed during each of these inspections, one centre was found to be compliant with seven standards, while the second was found to be compliant with four and not compliant with two standards. Both centres were found to be substantially compliant with the remaining standards.

Both centres were found to have appropriate governance and management structures in place to monitor practice and oversee the delivery of care to children and young people. They were well run and provided children with a homely environment which promoted their safety and wellbeing. However, the statements of purpose required updating in both centres to ensure they appropriately described the services provided.

The centre in Tusla’s Dublin North East region had ineffective systems in place to manage risks, such as self-harming behaviour and the use of restrictive practices. The centre also needed to update its risk register. Errors in the administration of medication, identified as part of inspection, had been missed by centre audits. Improvements were required in this centre in recording fire safety checks. In addition, one child’s care plan had not been updated in line with regulatory requirements.

The centre inspected in Dublin Mid Leinster provided respite care for young people living at home or in foster care. In this centre, some staff were found to be unfamiliar with Tusla’s policy and procedure on protected disclosures.

Children and young people who participated in these inspections spoke positively about their experience of both centres. They told inspectors that they ‘liked everything’ and they felt ‘safe’, ‘welcome’ and ‘involved’. Contact between children and their families, relatives and friends was promoted and facilitated as required, and professionals involved with young people spoke highly of the services.