Therapeutic fostering service ended

The country’s only intensive therapeutic fostering service for extremely troubled children has been dropped, with the provider “devastated” by the decision.

The multi-development treatment foster care service was operated by the Daughters of Charity Child and Family Service and was originally recommended by the HSE specialist with responsibility for alternative care, Aidan Waterstone.

A model derived from the US juvenile justice system, 15 Irish children entered it although it was limited to one HSE area. It began operating in 2009.