Hiqa urges action on child isolated in special care unit

Independent health inspectors have expressed concern at a child being confined to a locked section of a state-run special care unit on a continuous basis since April.

In their latest inspection of the €13m Ballydowd special care unit in Dublin, inspectors from the Health Information and Quality Authority found that the child was confined to the locked section of the unit where the child has access to a bedroom with en suite facilities and a small sitting room with two staff members present.

The inspectors recorded that the child attends the on-site school on a daily basis, but that the child is educated alone.

It is the second successive Hiqa report on Ballydowd in which inspectors have expressed concern over the practice of separating a child from others.

In the previous report in March, based on an inspection in Nov 2011, Hiqa described as “unsuitable” a different child being separated from the other children in a confined area for six months.

Now, after finding “a similar arrangement” in its latest inspection, Hiqa inspectors have recommended that, “as a matter of urgency”, the HSE’s National Director for Children and Family Services should draw up and implement clear guidance on the use of the “single occupancy arrangement” for a therapeutic intervention at the special care unit.

The latest report — based on an inspection in June — found that the child in question was separated “due to his/her presenting challenges and behaviours”.

The report states: “The decision to continue with this arrangement was based on a recent forensic psychology assessment which was being reviewed on a weekly basis by the Ballydowd Special Care Unit clinical team.”

Overall, the Hiqa report on Ballydowd “found that the delivery of care to children was of a good standard, which was driven by a strong unit management team”.

It went on: “External professionals confirmed that the children were provided with a good level of care and that the staff team were dedicated to providing this care.”