Foster care reports uncover serious absence of vetting

CHILDREN have been placed in foster placements in which carers are alleged to have carried out abuse or in which carers are alleged drug dealers, according to new reports.

The Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) yesterday published foster care inspection reports for three areas in Dublin, uncovering that vulnerable children, some of whom did not even have an assigned social worker, have been placed with foster carers who have not been vetted.

The HIQA report into Dublin North found that, while some improvements needed to be made, there was a good standard of social work practice and of management.