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 South and West regions, were carried out in January and February 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 eight standards. They were 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. 

Some improvements were required in both centres to achieve full compliance. In one centre, the emergency lighting was faulty and required repair. The second centre had ineffective systems in place to manage risks, such as when young people went missing from the centre. The centre also needed to update a document describing the service it provided. 

Children and young people who participated in these inspections spoke positively about their placements and felt cared for and supported by staff. They told inspectors that they enjoyed the activities with staff. Contact between children and their families, relatives and friends was promoted and facilitated by staff, in line with COVID-19 restrictions. Staff encouraged appropriate contact through phone calls, video conferencing and they also transported young people to their families for pre-arranged visits.

The inspection reports and compliance plans can be found at the link below.