The Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) has today published three 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 three statutory children’s residential centres in the Tusla Dublin North East, South and Dublin Mid Leinster regions were carried out in March 2021. Of the eight standards assessed during each of these inspections, one centre was found to be compliant with six standards, while a second was found to be compliant with seven standards. They were substantially compliant with the remaining standards. In the third centre, one standard was compliant, four standards were substantially compliant, and three standards were found to be non-compliant, all of which were identified as moderate non-compliances. 

Two 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. While one centre had strengthened their governance systems since their previous inspection in 2019, further improvement was required to support the full implementation of the centre’s model of care. Improvement was required in  the management of centrally held staff files in relation to all three centres. Staffing resources were adequate for the most part, with some gaps noted on occasion, due to sick leave or staff vacancies. 

There were systems in place to effectively manage risk within each of the three centres. 

Children and young people who participated in these inspections spoke positively about their placements and felt cared for and supported by staff. They confirmed that staff treated them with dignity and respect. They were involved in making decisions about their care and were informed of their rights. Children and young people were provided with information about advocacy services and were supported to make complaints. 

Contact between children and their families, relatives and friends was promoted and facilitated by staff, in line with COVID-19 restrictions.

The inspection reports and compliance plans can be found on www.hiqa.ie