HSE slated over child protection ‘failings’

THE Health Service Executive has been criticised by inspectors of a children’s home for a two-month delay in notifying gardaí of criminal allegations with serious child protection concerns.

In its report following inspection of the home in Co Waterford, the Social Services Inspectorate said the allegations had been made in June 2006 by the social work department of the HSE South, but not passed on to gardaí by the child protection notification team until August 2006.

The inspectorate said this was “not consistent with Children First national guidelines for the protection of children”.