{"id":17747,"date":"2026-03-24T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-03-24T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.oco.ie\/news\/oco-report-highlights-need-for-a-right-based-system-for-children-in-care\/"},"modified":"2026-06-10T13:35:05","modified_gmt":"2026-06-10T12:35:05","slug":"oco-report-highlights-need-for-a-right-based-system-for-children-in-care","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.oco.ie\/ga\/news\/oco-report-highlights-need-for-a-right-based-system-for-children-in-care\/","title":{"rendered":"OCO report highlights need for a right-based system for children in care"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<strong>OCO report highlights need for a rights-based system for children in care<\/strong>\n<table width=\"615\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"615\"><em>\u201cNobody cares.\u201d<\/em>\n\n<em>\u201cIf I was in Government, I would get rid of Special Emergency Arrangements (SEAs), they are ruining kids\u2019 lives.\u201d<\/em>\n\n\u201c<em>I feel the void and weight of not properly getting to know my sisters in their most formative years.\u201d<\/em>\n\n<em>\u00a0<\/em>The voices of some of the children in care featured in the OCO\u2019s report.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\nA new report from the Ombudsman for Children\u2019s Office (OCO) sheds light on the full extent of the crisis across Ireland\u2019s care system for children, revealing a system that is consistently underfunded and in which some of the most profound breaches of their rights occur. <em>Let\u2019s Get it Right- a rights-based vision for children in care <\/em>highlights how the system is not currently operating in the best interests of all children, despite the best efforts of staff in the sector. However, the OCO believes there is now a real opportunity to make a once in a generational change to our care system with the development of the Government\u2019s first ever National Alternative Care Plan and a review of the 25-year-old legislation underpinning child protection in Ireland. The OCO report makes several recommendations across eight key areas for children in care, which it hopes will be reflected in the Government\u2019s plans due later this year. The OCO is also committing to publishing a shadow report every two years to monitor and track progress on the Government\u2019s commitments. While the Department of Children, Disability and Equality is the lead department, the Government\u2019s new plan will only be successful if all government departments and agencies get behind it so every child in the care system can reach their potential.\n\nThere are currently nearly 6,000 children in the care of the State. In outlining the challenges for the system, the OCO presents a right-based vision for one that protects, respects and fulfils the rights of all children in care. To achieve this, we must continue to provide and support family-based care, while ensuring the public provision of high-quality alternative care options with robust oversight. The OCO recommendations include investment in early family intervention and prevention services, as well as increasing support for foster carers and recognising kinship carers; banning the placement of children in unregulated accommodation and ending the use of Special Emergency Arrangements (SEAs); and the need for a review of Tusla funding so it can carry out the broad scope of its remit and to ensure it is sufficiently resourced to keep children safe and properly cared for.\n\nCommenting on<em> Let\u2019s Get it Right- A rights-based vision for children in care, <\/em>Ombudsman for Children, Dr Niall Muldoon said:\n\n\u201cWhen the State takes a child into care it is saying that <em>we <\/em>can do better for that child. But despite the dedication of staff in the sector, we see through complaints to our Office every year and the harrowing news stories and reports in the media, that children in care are too often being let down. It is also jarring that members of the judiciary have felt compelled on many times to speak out about the urgency of the situation for children in care.\n\n\u201cWe are calling for the Government to make family-based care the fundamental pillar of the new National Alternative Care Plan. We know that children thrive in foster families and kinship care, but we need to make sure these families are properly supported. For children and young people who require residential care, the new plan must shift away from private providers towards investment in high quality, publicly provided services. \u00a0We also want to see measures put in place for children at the greatest risk of rights violations, such as unaccompanied and separated children and children with disabilities, and for children\u2019s rights to be at the centre of the system through the incorporation of the UNCRC into domestic law.\n\n\u201cOur report also highlights the current challenges in the system and our concerns over the level of funding being made available to Tusla. It is hard to fathom why, despite an increase of over 100% in referrals over the past ten years and an expanded remit over that time, Tusla would receive just 48% of what it asked for in pre-budget estimates between 2021 and 2026. Combined with the other demands facing Tusla such as the shortage of social workers and alternative care places, and global factors like the war in Ukraine, there is a clear need to review the level of funding to Tusla to ensure its ability to protect and care for children is not compromised.\n\n\u201cCentral to our report are the experiences of the children who have come into contact with the OCO over the years, and whose experiences have helped to shape our recommendations. James* (16) who was detained in a Special Care Unit for three years when there was no suitable place available for him; Jasmine* (15), who was placed in a chaotic situation in SEAs, going missing several times and suffering sexual assault; and 4 and 5 year old brothers Luke* and Aaron*, who were placed in residential care where they had to share their placement with teenagers, because there was no foster care placement available for them.\n\n\u201cChildren in care have already overcome so much in their short lives, so when the State steps into the role of parent, it is incumbent on them to make sure it does so, knowing with absolute certainty, that it can make those lives better.\u201d\n\nENDS\n\n<strong>Notes to Editor<\/strong>\n\n*The children featured in the case studies throughout our report have been given pseudonyms to protect their identities.\n\n****\n\nLeagann tuarasc\u00e1il OCO b\u00e9im ar ch\u00f3ras at\u00e1 i ng\u00e9arch\u00e9im do leana\u00ed faoi ch\u00faram\n<table width=\"615\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"615\"><em>\u201cIs cuma le gach duine.\u201d<\/em>\n\n<em>\u201cD\u00e1 mbeinn sa Rialtas, gheobhainn r\u00e9idh le Socruithe \u00c9igeand\u00e1la Speisialta (SEAnna), t\u00e1 siad ag scriosadh saoil leana\u00ed.\u201d<\/em>\n\n\u201c<em>Braithim an fol\u00fas agus an me\u00e1chan a bhaineann le gan aithne cheart a chur ar mo dheirfi\u00faracha sna blianta m\u00fanlaitheacha at\u00e1 acu.\u201d<\/em>\n\n<em>\u00a0<\/em>Bh\u00ed guthanna cuid de na leana\u00ed at\u00e1 faoi ch\u00faram le cloisint i dtuarasc\u00e1il an OCO.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\nTugann tuarasc\u00e1il nua \u00f3 Oifig an Ombudsman do Leana\u00ed (OCO) l\u00e9argas ar mh\u00e9id ioml\u00e1n na g\u00e9arch\u00e9ime ar fud ch\u00f3ras c\u00faraim na h\u00c9ireann do leana\u00ed, ag nochtadh c\u00f3ras at\u00e1 tearcmhaoinithe go seasta agus ina dtarla\u00edonn cuid de na s\u00e1ruithe is doimhne ar a gcearta. <em>D\u00e9anaimis i gCeart \u00c9 <\/em>\u2013 l\u00e9ir\u00edonn f\u00eds at\u00e1 bunaithe ar chearta do leana\u00ed faoi ch\u00faram an chaoi nach bhfuil an c\u00f3ras ag feidhmi\u00fa ar mhaithe le leas gach linbh faoi l\u00e1thair, in ainneoin iarrachta\u00ed is fearr na foirne san earn\u00e1il. Creideann an OCO, \u00e1fach, go bhfuil f\u00edordheis ann anois athr\u00fa uair amh\u00e1in sa ghl\u00fain a dh\u00e9anamh ar \u00e1r gc\u00f3ras c\u00faraim le forbairt na ch\u00e9ad Strait\u00e9ise um Ch\u00faram Malartach riamh de chuid an Rialtais agus tr\u00ed athbhreithni\u00fa a dh\u00e9anamh ar an reachta\u00edocht 25 bliain d\u2019aois at\u00e1 mar bhonn agus thaca ag cosaint leana\u00ed in \u00c9irinn. D\u00e9antar roinnt molta\u00ed i dtuarasc\u00e1il an OCO thar ocht bpr\u00edomhr\u00e9imse do leana\u00ed faoi ch\u00faram, agus t\u00e1 s\u00fail aici go l\u00e9ireofar iad i bpleananna an Rialtais at\u00e1 le teacht n\u00edos d\u00e9ana\u00ed i mbliana. T\u00e1 an OCO tiomanta freisin do sc\u00e1th-thuarasc\u00e1il a fhoilsi\u00fa gach dh\u00e1 bhliain chun monat\u00f3ireacht agus rian\u00fa a dh\u00e9anamh ar dhul chun cinn tiomantais an Rialtais.\n\nT\u00e1 beagnach 6,000 leanbh faoi ch\u00faram an St\u00e1it faoi l\u00e1thair. Agus na d\u00fashl\u00e1in don ch\u00f3ras \u00e1 gcur i l\u00e1thair, cuireann an OCO f\u00eds cheartbhunaithe i l\u00e1thair do cheann a chosna\u00edonn, a thugann urraim agus a chomhl\u00edonann cearta gach linbh at\u00e1 faoi ch\u00faram. Chun \u00e9 sin a bhaint amach, n\u00ed m\u00f3r d\u00fainn lean\u00faint de ch\u00faram teaghlaighbhunaithe a shol\u00e1thar agus tac\u00fa leis, agus ag an am c\u00e9anna sol\u00e1thar poibl\u00ed roghanna um ch\u00faram malartach ardchaighde\u00e1in a chinnti\u00fa le maoirseacht l\u00e1idir. \u00c1ir\u00edtear ar mholta\u00ed OCO infheist\u00edocht i seirbh\u00eds\u00ed luath-idirghabh\u00e1la teaghlaigh agus coisctheacha, chomh maith le taca\u00edocht a mh\u00e9ad\u00fa do ch\u00faram\u00f3ir\u00ed altrama agus aitheantas a thabhairt do ch\u00faram\u00f3ir\u00ed gaoil; cosc a chur ar leana\u00ed a bheith lonnaithe i gc\u00f3ir\u00edocht neamhrialaithe agus deireadh a chur le h\u00fas\u00e1id Socruithe \u00c9igeand\u00e1la Speisialta (SEAanna); agus an g\u00e1 at\u00e1 le hathbhreithni\u00fa a dh\u00e9anamh ar mhaoini\u00fa Tusla ionas gur f\u00e9idir leis raon feidhme leathan a shainch\u00faraim a chur i gcr\u00edch agus a chinnti\u00fa go bhfuil d\u00f3thain acmhainn\u00ed ann chun leana\u00ed a choinne\u00e1il s\u00e1bh\u00e1ilte agus c\u00faram cu\u00ed a thabhairt d\u00f3ibh. C\u00e9 gurb \u00ed an Roinn Leana\u00ed, M\u00edchumais agus Comhionannais an phr\u00edomh-Roinn, n\u00ed \u00e9ireoidh le plean nua an Rialtais ach amh\u00e1in m\u00e1 th\u00e9ann gach Roinn Rialtais agus Gn\u00edomhaireacht taobh thiar de ionas gur f\u00e9idir le gach leanbh sa ch\u00f3ras c\u00faraim a gcumas a bhaint amach.\n\nAgus \u00e9 ag tr\u00e1cht ar <em>\u00a0D\u00e9anaimis i gCeart \u00c9<\/em> \u2013 F\u00eds ceartbhunaithe do leana\u00ed faoi ch\u00faram, d\u00fairt an tOmbudsman do Leana\u00ed, an Dr Niall Muldoon:\n\n\u201cNuair a thugann an St\u00e1t c\u00faram do leanbh, t\u00e1 s\u00e9 \u00e1 <em>r\u00e1 <\/em>acu gur f\u00e9idir linn n\u00edos fearr a dh\u00e9anamh don leanbh sin. Ach in ainneoin dh\u00edograis na foirne san earn\u00e1il, feicimid tr\u00ed ghear\u00e1in chuig \u00e1r nOifig gach bliain agus na sc\u00e9alta nuachta agus tuairisc\u00ed uaf\u00e1sacha sna me\u00e1in, go mb\u00edonn leana\u00ed faoi ch\u00faram \u00e1 ligean s\u00edos r\u00f3mhinic. T\u00e1 s\u00e9 scanr\u00fail freisin gur bhraith baill de na breithi\u00fana go raibh iallach orthu labhairt amach go minic faoi phr\u00e1inn an ch\u00e1is do leana\u00ed faoi ch\u00faram.\n\n\u201cT\u00e1imid ag iarraidh ar an Rialtas c\u00faram teaghlaighbhunaithe a dh\u00e9anamh mar bhunchloch an Phlean N\u00e1isi\u00fanta um Ch\u00faram Malartach nua. T\u00e1 a fhios againn go n-\u00e9ir\u00edonn le leana\u00ed i dteaghlaigh altrama agus i gc\u00faram gaoil, ach n\u00ed m\u00f3r d\u00fainn a chinnti\u00fa go dtugtar taca\u00edocht cheart do na teaghlaigh seo. I gc\u00e1s leana\u00ed agus daoine \u00f3ga a dteasta\u00edonn c\u00faram c\u00f3naithe uathu, n\u00ed m\u00f3r don phlean nua aistri\u00fa \u00f3 shol\u00e1thraithe pr\u00edobh\u00e1ideacha i dtreo infheist\u00edochta i seirbh\u00eds\u00ed ardchaighde\u00e1in a chuirtear ar f\u00e1il go poibl\u00ed.\u00a0 Ba mhaith linn freisin bearta a fheice\u00e1il a chuirtear i bhfeidhm do leana\u00ed at\u00e1 i mbaol s\u00e1ruithe ar chearta, amhail leana\u00ed neamhthionlactha agus scartha agus leana\u00ed faoi mh\u00edchumas, agus cearta leana\u00ed a bheith i gcro\u00edl\u00e1r an ch\u00f3rais \u00a0tr\u00ed UNCRC a ionchorpr\u00fa sa dl\u00ed int\u00edre.\n\n\u201cLeagtar b\u00e9im in\u00e1r dtuarasc\u00e1il freisin ar na d\u00fashl\u00e1in at\u00e1 ann faoi l\u00e1thair sa ch\u00f3ras agus ar na h\u00e1bhair imn\u00ed at\u00e1 againn maidir leis an leibh\u00e9al maoinithe at\u00e1 \u00e1 chur ar f\u00e1il do Tusla. Is deacair a thuiscint c\u00e9n f\u00e1th, in ainneoin m\u00e9ad\u00fa os cionn 100% ar atreoruithe le deich mbliana anuas agus sainch\u00faram m\u00e9adaithe le himeacht ama, nach bhfaigheadh Tusla ach 48% den mh\u00e9id a d\u2019iarr s\u00e9 i meastach\u00e1in r\u00e9amhbhuis\u00e9id idir 2021 agus 2026. In \u00e9ineacht leis na h\u00e9ilimh eile at\u00e1 os comhair Tusla amhail ganntanas oibrithe s\u00f3isialta agus \u00e1iteanna um ch\u00faram malartach, agus tosca domhanda amhail an cogadh san \u00dacr\u00e1in, t\u00e1 g\u00e1 soil\u00e9ir le hathbhreithni\u00fa a dh\u00e9anamh ar an leibh\u00e9al maoinithe do Tusla chun a chinnti\u00fa nach gcuirtear isteach ar a chumas leana\u00ed a chosaint agus c\u00faram a thabhairt d\u00f3ibh.\n\n\u201cIs cuid l\u00e1rnach d\u00e1r dtuarasc\u00e1il \u00e9 taith\u00ed na leana\u00ed a th\u00e1inig i dteagmh\u00e1il leis an OCO thar na blianta, agus ar chuidigh a dtaith\u00ed len\u00e1r molta\u00ed a mh\u00fanl\u00fa. James* (16) a coinn\u00edodh in Aonad C\u00faraim Speisialta ar feadh tr\u00ed bliana nuair nach raibh aon \u00e1it oiri\u00fanach ar f\u00e1il d\u00f3; Jasmine* (15), a cuireadh i staid anord\u00fail in SEAnna, ag dul ar iarraidh ar\u00eds agus ar\u00eds eile agus ag fulaingt ionsa\u00ed gn\u00e9asach; agus dearth\u00e1ireacha Luke* agus Aaron*, 4 agus 5 bliana d&#8217;aois, a cuireadh i gc\u00faram c\u00f3naithe \u00e1it a raibh orthu a socr\u00fach\u00e1n a roinnt le d\u00e9ag\u00f3ir\u00ed, toisc nach raibh aon socr\u00fach\u00e1n c\u00faraim altrama ar f\u00e1il d\u00f3ibh.\n\n\u201cT\u00e1 an oiread sin s\u00e1raithe ag leana\u00ed at\u00e1 faoi ch\u00faram cheana f\u00e9in ina saol gearr, mar sin nuair a ghlacann an St\u00e1t r\u00f3l an tuismitheora, t\u00e1 s\u00e9 de dhualgas orthu a chinnti\u00fa go nd\u00e9anann s\u00e9 amhlaidh, agus iad cinnte go hioml\u00e1n gur f\u00e9idir leis na saolta sin a fheabhs\u00fa.\u201d\n\nCR\u00cdOCH\n\n<strong>N\u00f3ta\u00ed don Eagarth\u00f3ir<\/strong>\n\n* Tugadh ainmneacha br\u00e9ige do na leana\u00ed a bh\u00ed le haithint sna c\u00e1s-staid\u00e9ir ar fud \u00e1r dtuarasc\u00e1il chun a bhf\u00e9ini\u00falacht a chosaint.\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>OCO report highlights need for a rights-based system for children in care \u201cNobody cares.\u201d \u201cIf I was in Government, I would get rid of Special Emergency Arrangements (SEAs), they are ruining kids\u2019 lives.\u201d \u201cI feel the <a class=\"read_more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.oco.ie\/ga\/news\/oco-report-highlights-need-for-a-right-based-system-for-children-in-care\/\">&#8230;<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":19,"featured_media":18382,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-17747","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","type-press-release","topic-children-in-care"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.1 - 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