Group overseeing services for troubled teens unveiled

A NEW advisory board that will co-ordinate services for troubled teenagers and children was launched yesterday.

The new Children Acts Advisory Board is set to advise Children's Minister Brendan Smith on various issues, including reporting on the level of residential accommodation for children in detention schools and special care units.

The new body comes into being under the terms of the Child Care (Amendment) Act 2007, changing the name of the existing Special Residential Services Board (SRSB) and broadening its functions. The SRSB had specialised in co-ordinating child placements, but the deputy chief executive of the new board, Finbarr O’Leary, said the new powers exercised by the body would be able to provide “checks and balances” across a range of services.

He said that under the 1991 Child Care Act and under the larger Children Act 2001, areas such as early intervention, education and juvenile justice would be of paramount importance.

The board will put together new criteria for guardian ad litems — those who provide a voice for the child in court proceedings — and will also seek to improve the inter-agency approach to juvenile justice.

Mr O’Leary said that with the Health Service Executive (HSE), the Garda, the Probation and Courts Services and the Irish Youth Justice Service, among others, involved, the board would work to “maximise the delivery of services to children”.

Regarding the HSE, and in particular dealing with special care orders, the board will carry out audits of the paperwork involved, so that when the HSE states that it wants to place a child in a detention centre, the views of the board are available to the court.

“It will be very pro-active and looking at best practice abroad as well,” said Mr O'Leary.