Better protection promised for asylum seekers
Inadequate levels of adult supervision and inspections have reportedly led to several hundred children going missing from State care.
By the year end, centres housing asylum-seeking children separated from their families will operate under the care of the Health Service Executive (HSE). New regulations will ensure the centres have qualified staff, vetted by the Garda Central Vetting Office. The centres will also be subjected to checks by the Social Services Inspectorate (SSI).
The new safety standards are in response to concerns over poor level of staffing and supervision at these hostels. Last year, 71 children seeking asylum went missing from state care. Just 17 of these have been recovered. In total, 316 have gone missing since 2001.
There are currently 40 active gardaí investigations into asylum-seeking children who have gone missing from State care.
The Children’s Rights Alliance said there was anecdotal evidence to suggest child traffickers are turning up to centres pretending to be family members.
The alliance warned: “The very low level of support in hostels for separated children is a major child protection concern. Anecdotal evidence points to inadequate investigations to verify the identity of people who present as family members and with whom separated children are united.”
It has been claimed, few inspections are carried out on the centres and they are not subjected to the same standards as other residential units housing children in State care.
Minister for Children Brian Lenihan confirmed that the same rules will apply to hostels for separated children under 16.
A spokesperson for the minister said: “It was agreed at a meeting of the HSE, the SSI and the Office for the Minister for Children that the Standards for Children in Residential Care will apply to children seeking asylum 16 years of age and under. In relation to accommodation for the 17-18 age group, the same standards will apply, subject to guidance notes being drafted by the SSI and HSE.
