Garda and HSE probe case of European teen who fled Irish foster placement

The HSE and Garda are investigating how a troubled European teenager was placed with a family who had not been vetted and from whom he fled, going missing for 48 hours.

The boy was found sleeping rough, having spent a night out in the open. The incident has raised concerns over his placement with the family, and focused attention on other children from the Continent understood to have been placed with families around the country by the same European agency.

It is understood the embassy of the boy’s country of origin may wish to have him repatriated, while his relatives have come here to check on his welfare.

It is understood he may have run away from his placement at least once before, without gardaí or the HSE having been informed.

The case came to light earlier this month, although the boy is understood to have been in Ireland for some time. It is understood the company that organised his placement with the Irish family has been managing similar foster placements here since 1995.

Other European agencies organise foster placements here, but typically with families from the same country of origin as the young person. However, the agency involved in this case often uses Irish families. It is understood the fostering programme is funded by the government in the child’s country of origin, removing them from the care system there in the hope a different environment will help steer them away from problems such as domestic violence, criminality, or drug use.

Families caring for children in the fostering programme here can receive up to €2,000 a month.

The HSE is checking the status of the other children in foster placements elsewhere around the country.

The HSE said it would not comment on individual cases, but stressed that the placement of children from an EU state in foster care in Ireland is governed by the Brussels IIA-Regulations (Brussels II bis).

In effect it means the authority in the country of origin wishing to place a child in foster care in Ireland must first consult with the central authority or other authority having jurisdiction here.

Child law expert Geoffrey Shannon said he could not talk about specific cases but stressed that the Court of Justice of the European Union had recently set down “strict conditions” for such placements.

“The placement of a child from one member state in either foster care or institutional care in another member state is governed by the Brussels II bis regulation. Article 56 of Brussels II bis provides that a judgment placing a child in care in another member state will only be recognised if the authority contemplating the placement of a child in foster care or institutional care first consults with the central authority or other competent authority in the member state where the placement is to take place.”