HSE orders probe over family abuse

THE HSE has ordered an investigation into how social services failed to intervene in what a judge described as the “torture” of eight children by their mother over seven years.

The move has once again highlighted ongoing shortcomings with child protection legislation and came on the same day that revised child protection guidelines were published by the Department of Children.

The HSE review into social workers’ involvement with the family, who cannot be named to protect the children, will look at why eight siblings were only taken into care nine years after social workers first became aware of dysfunctional behaviour within the family.