Watchdog intervenes over concerns at running of HSE care teen facility

An independent watchdog has intervened in the operation of a HSE-run care home where the children were engaging in high-risk behaviour, including taking drugs, drinking alcohol, inhaling butane gas, thieving and damaging property.

According to the Health Information and Quality Authority (Hiqa), the centre located in Child and Family Agency, Cork area, “was operated in a manner which could not ensure children were always safe and protected from themselves and each other”.

The Hiqa report states that the centre is a four-bedroomed, detached home in a residential area on the outskirts of an un-named town and was home to three people of mixed genders between 13 and 18 years of age.

Hiqa said on an unannounced inspection over two days on October 30 and 31 that inspectors “found the health, safety, security, and wellbeing of the young people living at the centre were at risk”.

The acting manager told the inspector some of the young people had been engaging in high-risk behaviour inside the centre for the eight to nine weeks prior to the inspection, placing themselves and staff at risk.

These behaviours “included smoking, consumption of alcohol, the inhalation of butane gas and aerosols, theft and property damage, threatening behaviour towards staff, and bullying and harassment behaviour directed at one of the young people living in the centre”.

Prior to the October inspection, staff at the centre had started contacting gardaí to assist in dealing with some of these behaviours “but this intervention did not stop these activities”.

The inspector “observed some of these behaviours during the inspection”.

The centre’s daily log sheets recorded that, on a number of occasions, “the young people proceeded to allegedly threaten staff and other residents following misuse of these substances”.

On the second day, the inspector witnessed a teen on unprescribed medication attempting to break into the centre’s office and, after staff were unable to control the behaviour, the teen was arrested.

The centre was staffed by 10 childcare workers, an acting manger, a deputy manager, two relief staff, and two children leaders that included three staff on long-term leave.

The report also confirmed that two of three care files relating to teens at the centre were removed off site following repeated break-in attempts into the centre’s office in 2013 and this was considered a threat to the safety and security of the personal information of staff and young people. Staff were unable to locate the third care file that had been at the centre’s office.

The report also found that, over the previous 12 months, there were 135 absences without authority and during the Hiqa inspection two of the teens had been declared missing before both returning.

As a result of the inspection, Hiqa requested the HSE to carry out a number of actions aimed at providing for the immediate safety of the children.

At a follow-up unannounced inspection on January 24 last, Hiqa found “some progress” had been made since the October 2013 inspection. High-risk behaviour had decreased significantly.