Girls and boys spent night together in HSE care home

LOSS of control over children in their care meant staff at a care home run by the Health Service Executive (HSE) were unable to prevent boys and girls staying overnight in each others’ bedrooms.

The youngsters were also smoking in their bedrooms and refusing to stop when requested to do so by staff.

Details of their risky behaviour are outlined in a report compiled by the Social Services Inspectorate (SSI) following an inspection of the home in Co Westmeath earlier this year.

The inspectorate, which comes under the remit of HIQA, the health and information quality authority, found staff had serious difficulties in managing behaviours and risk.

“In the year prior to inspection there had been 75 incidents of unauthorised absences involving three young people and 40 of these were overnight. There was concern about alcohol consumption by young people while away from the centre,” inspectors said.

In addition, inspectors found staff sometimes had to stay up all night supervising young people “at times boys and girls who insisted on staying in each others’ bedrooms”.

“There were high levels of threats of physical violence, verbal abuse and sexualised language and gestures directed mainly at female staff. At times the staff team had lost control of the group,” inspectors said.

Inspectors also found a key recommendation made in 2006 – that a comprehensive aftercare policy be developed for young people who left the home – had not been met three years later.

The HSE was also criticised for not meeting vetting requirements.

A statement from the HSE Dublin Mid-Leinster said a review of such procedures has since taken place and that “deficits in the system were identified and corrected and were now in line with best practice”. The statement said at no time was any child at risk.

The HSE added that it was “currently working with the Social Service Inspectorate to put in place strategies to manage challenging behaviour”.

“A root and branch review of the service provided is taking place involving all staff, management and the SSI,” a statement said, and an action plan has been devised.