State care files reveal injury and rape of teens

HOW the state care system failed vulnerable children has been exposed in a series of documents which show how teenagers were raped having absconded from care and suffered serious injury in care facilities.

Documents released under Freedom of Information show from 2005 to 2007 more than 150 incident report files were recorded.

Incidents including sexual and physical abuse took place in foster homes, while other children were injured in other care settings, including residential facilities.

The information relates to the Dublin-Mid Leinster region of the HSE.

In Dublin west alone there were 11 cases between 2005 and 2007 involving allegations of physical and sexual assault children, nine by foster carers and two in residential care.

Two cases involving possible physical assault and two allegations of sexual assault in a residential care placement were described as “unconfirmed”. There were two cases of confirmed sexual assault by foster carers and a confirmed case of neglect by a foster parent.

In one case a 17-year-old girl who absconded from her placement in Wicklow was raped in Laytown in Co Meath in November 2007. A man was later charged.

In December, the previous year the same girl was allegedly raped while with her aunt at a party, but there was no prosecution.

In another case a Garda Supt in Longford wrote to a principal social worker regarding an allegation of child sexual abuse made by one child against another person in the care of the HSE. It is understood no criminal complaint followed.

The files detail a range of incidents, from a child standing on a nail to rape and suicide attempts.

The documents also show the challenges faced by many care workers and foster parents in dealing with vulnerable children.

In a statement the HSE said the needs of children in care are met in most cases, but in a small number of cases young people can be at higher risk of behaviour that can lead to injury or harm to themselves or others.

“A range of changes have taken place since the time when these incidents occurred. For example, vetting has been introduced for all foster carers and the number of approved foster carers with a social worker has increased to over 86% in December 2010 compared with 78% at the end of 2009. The number of children in care with an allocated social worker increased substantially to 93% at end December 2010 and 200 new social workers are now in post under the Ryan Report recommendations.”