HSE to publish case files of two children who died in state care

THE HSE is expected to publish information regarding the deaths of two children who died in state care.

The two case files, previously unpublished, relate to the deaths of two children who were in care in the north Dublin area.

One of the cases relates to a teenage boy who died of a drug overdose in 2005, having stayed in emergency hostels in Dublin city centre.

The Irish Examiner also understands the reports are likely to be criticised for not meeting the recently published guidelines from the Health Information Quality Authority (HIQA).

The two previously unpublished reports relate to two of the 23 deaths of children in care between 2000 and 2010, and will be reviewed by the newly appointed independent group set up last month by Children’s Minister Barry Andrews.

On establishing that body, Mr Andrews admitted there was an issue regarding the actual number of children who died in care in the past decade and that there may be more than the 23 mentioned in the course of a Dáil debate on the issue.

However, the Irish Examiner understands the actual number of deaths that will be reviewed could be significantly higher than that figure. Some of the children died of natural causes and it is understood the HSE is working with the child death review panel established by the minister to determine the total number of cases to be reviewed.

The panel was formed in March after the publication of the report into the death of Tracey Fay, an 18-year-old who died of a drug overdose in 2002.

Details of her case, first published by Fine Gael Children’s Spokesman Alan Shatter, contained a litany of failures by the care system, but Mr Andrews stressed there had been no cover-up.

Last month HIQA published its recommended guidelines into how deaths in care should be investigated.