{"id":752,"date":"2016-06-22T09:44:08","date_gmt":"2016-06-22T09:44:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.oco.ie\/?p=752"},"modified":"2017-10-25T09:45:12","modified_gmt":"2017-10-25T09:45:12","slug":"oberstowns-failure-meet-standards-must-addressed-immediately","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.oco.ie\/ga\/news\/oberstowns-failure-meet-standards-must-addressed-immediately\/","title":{"rendered":"Oberstown\u2019s failure to meet standards must be addressed immediately"},"content":{"rendered":"

HIQA report shows Oberstown Children Detention School failed to meet nine out of ten standards<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The Ombudsman for Children, Dr Niall Muldoon, has expressed his disappointment at the failure of Oberstown Children Detention School to meet nine out of ten standards set by HIQA. The Ombudsman was speaking following the publication of HIQA\u2019s report into an inspection carried out at Oberstown in November 2015.<\/p>\n

\u201cHIQA\u2019s report shows that Oberstown met the required standard only in the area of Education, while improvement was needed in the areas of children\u2019s rights, care of children and child protection. Worryingly, a significant risk was also identified in relation to staffing and management.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe impact of staff shortages is abundantly clear throughout this report. While it is evident that the staff in place are doing a very good job with the resources available, it is clear that shortages are making it more difficult to build relationships with children. This is having a direct impact on the service available.<\/p>\n

\u201cUnit managers also reported that they had difficulty in carrying out their role due to the volume of work they have to get through. Again this is having a knock on effect on care plans and record keeping.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt should be acknowledged that Oberstown has gone through a period of significant change in the past twelve months as three separate schools were combined into one. While this does explain some of the issues highlighted, it is still not good enough that the facility was found wanting in nine out of ten areas.<\/p>\n

\u201cOberstown is a state of the art facility and a massive improvement on St Pat\u2019s, an unsuitable campus which the Ombudsman for Children Office campaigned long and hard to see closed. Oberstown has great potential to have a positive and potentially life-changing effect on young people\u2019s lives.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe must see significant improvement across all of these areas in Oberstown. I will continue to interact with the board and the Campus Director to highlight the issue of staffing shortages at the facility.\u201d<\/p>\n

ENDS<\/strong><\/p>\n

Contact:
\nAoife Carragher
\nOmbudsman for Children\u2019s Office
\n01 865 6806 \/ 087 148 4173<\/p>\n

Notes to Editor<\/strong><\/p>\n