Children’s Ombudsman Highlights Gaps in the Oversight of Children’s Residential Centres

An investigation by the Ombudsman for Children found significant gaps in the approach to registering, inspecting and monitoring of children’s residential centres which are run by private and voluntary agencies. He has recommended that the inspection of these centres should transfer to HIQA without delay.

Ombudsman for Children, Dr. Niall Muldoon commented that: “The process of inspecting, registering and monitoring these residential centres is an important safeguard for children who are living there.  Failure to carry out these functions effectively can potentially have an adverse effect on those children.  By seeking to have HIQA take over this process I am looking to create confidence in the independence and consistency of the process for overseeing the homes of some of our most vulnerable children.”

The Ombudsman for Children made his comments as he published an own volition investigation by his Office, into the HSE’s (now Tusla – the Child and Family Agency) registration, inspection and monitoring service for children’s residential centres run by private (for profit) and voluntary agencies. He carried out this investigation in accordance with Section 13(2) of the Ombudsman for Children Act 2002.

While HIQA provides the inspection, registration and monitoring of State run children’s residential centres it is Tusla (formerly the HSE) who provide the same service within the non-statutory children’s centres. This disparity and clear lack of independence was highlighted, by the Ombudsman for Children’s Office (OCO) to the United Nations, as far back as 2011.

There are approximately 100 private and voluntary children’s residential centres across four HSE/Tusla regions in Ireland. These cater for 341 (at May 2014)* children and the annual budget for these was approximately €49 million in 2013. The investigation looked at Inspection reports from 49 centres and Monitoring reports from 60 centres all relating to the period between January 1^st 2012 and 31 August 2013.

*(http://www.dcya.gov.ie/viewdoc.asp?fn=/documents/Children_In_Care/ChildreninCareResidentialCarePage.htm– viewed 30/7/15)

Findings identified in the investigation include:

• Delays in inspections due to shortage of inspectors
• Typically inspections were announced in advance
• Little evidence of unannounced visits and no evidence of visits undertaken at night or weekends
• No standardised process and procedures across the four regions of the country
• Lack of consistency across regions in relation to the production of registration reports
• No agreed policy on access to inspections reports
• No national protocol on frequency of monitoring visits
• The lack of standardisation in relation to monitoring means that accountability is difficult
• Monitoring appears to be viewed as a discretionary activity

In light of the findings above the Ombudsman recommends that:

• responsibility for the inspection and registration process should be transferred to HIQA without delay

While awaiting the transfer of responsibility to HIQA and while Tusla remains responsible for these functions, the Ombudsman recommends that:

• Registration of all centres should be processed in line with the Health Act 2007
• Newly registered centres should be given priority for Monitoring
• That the Child and Family Agency takes overall national level responsibility for this activity and develops clear policies and procedures for its implementation

The OCO further recommends that the Child and Family Agency;

• Provides guidance on the structure and content of the monitoring reports
• Conducts regular audits of the quality of the reports
• Provides a national training programme for Monitors to ensure consistency nationwide
• Ensures that there are sufficient numbers of trained Inspectors available
• Consider the adequacy of the mechanisms in place to ensure residential centres are fully compliant with the Regulations and National Standards.

The Ombudsman for Children concluded by saying that “it is hoped that this investigation will positively influence the ongoing reforms of Ireland’s child and family support services. Given the importance of independent inspection and of ensuring that all children in the care of the State receive the same standard of care, it is important that the transfer of these functions to HIQA is progressed without delay”.

Read the report about our investigation into the HSE’s registration, inspection and monitoring service for private and voluntary children’s residential centres

(ENDS)

Issued on behalf of the Ombudsman for Children Office by Heneghan PR 

Media contacts:
Eoghan Ó Neachtain
Heneghan PR
Tel:  +35387 6288030 / + 353 (01) 660 7305
Email: eoghan@hpr.ie

• 7 Lúnasa 2015
• Cineál: Preaseisiúint
• Ábhar: Leanaí faoi chúram, Tithíocht