Union warns against unqualified staff at Ballydowd

ALLOWING unqualified and inexperienced staff look after the country's most vulnerable children will increase the risk of violence to workers and young people at the Ballydowd centre, union officials warned yesterday.

The warning comes ahead of today's recruitment open day at Dublin's troubled Ballydowd facility, a unit that remains badly underused nearly two years after it opened.

An open day was organised in a bid to attract staff to work in the 24-bed unit. The South Western Area Health Board has admitted major difficulties in recruiting and retaining staff, the lack of whom means that less than a third of the 24 beds are in use at any given time.

The board said there was no question of employing unqualified personnel, saying recruits must have training and experience in some area of social care, though not necessarily with children.

If taken on, they will be further schooled in particular skills relating to children with serious emotional difficulties, a spokesman said. However, union officials are wary, claiming the board clearly plans to recruit unqualified staff, thereby increasing the risk of violence to staff and young people at the West Dublin centre.

IMPACT's Gerry Dolan said he recognised the need to deal with urgent recruitment and retention problems but believed some of the new staff would be vulnerable and ill-equipped to deal with the demands of Ballydowd: "We want services to expand and improve in a safe manner. Last March, there was a near riot when unqualified and untrained staff were brought in. Recruiting unqualified staff risks a repeat of that; it will put staff and clients at risk."

The union wants intensive and comprehensive training for new staff.

Health board management, however, are expecting applicants with a range of care skills, whether it is psychology, psychiatry or social work.

"We have a particular model of care for the centre and all staff will be trained in that," said a spokesman.

Ballydowd, the subject of a critical Social Services Inspectorate report last week that highlighted ongoing staffing problems, has had a troubled history since it opened as the first purpose-built unit for troubled children.

The lack of staff has meant the majority of beds remained unfilled, leaving troubled kids out on the streets or in the remand centre at Oberstown in North Dublin.

Attempts to recruit from abroad largely failed with staff from Canada, for example, joining and then leaving soon after.

In March, gardaí in riot gear had to be called after an incident involving staff and youngsters turned violent.