Referrals for abuse and neglect spark asylum system fears

THERE were 485 referrals in the country’s asylum system last year, including cases of alleged child neglect, abandonment, physical abuse, suspected trafficking and domestic violence.

The figures, released by the Reception and Integration Agency (RIA), which oversees the running of 47 centres for asylum seekers around the country, also show referrals made on the basis of suspected emotional abuse and mental health issues.

The figures raise concerns over the direct provision system, which at the end of last month was home to 5,586 people.

According to the figures, there were 485 referrals to RIA’s child and family services last year, although in some cases there were multiple referrals linked to one family or a child of that family.

There were 140 cases of unsupervised children and 23 cases of alleged child neglect. In another 25 cases, the parents were not coping, while physical abuse or assault was the reason for another 19 referrals.

Emotional abuse accounted for 13 referrals, domestic violence for a further seven referrals, and in two cases there were concerns regarding a child’s relationship with an adult.

There were no referrals as a result of sexual abuse, but two alleged cases of trafficking. Behavioural problems accounted for three referrals and, in one case, a child was abandoned.

Other referrals include 136 undocumented children. In seven cases a child had gone missing and in two cases a child was taken into care. In one case a parent was arrested.

A recent meeting of the Joint Oireachtas Committee of Health and Children again raised concerns about the monitoring and reporting mechanisms within the direct provision asylum centres.

Referrals are made to RIA by staff in the centres, the HSE, RIA officers and sometimes by non-governmental organisations.

RIA said that in the entire life of the direct provision system the company that carries out inspections at centres had carried out approximately 475 checks.

It also said that, while exact numbers were not available on the number of residents transferred or removed from a centre because of violent or inappropriate behaviour, “recidivism has, unfortunately, been an issue”.

The HSE said living conditions in the DP system “are never the primary reason why they (residents) seek psychological intervention”.

“However, the length of time in the asylum process and the requirement that they stay in ‘direct provision’ may impede their progress in treatment or may aggravate their presenting symptoms,” a spokesperson said.