Care oversights in children’s deaths

Five reports into the deaths of children known to the care services have found shortcomings in how the cases were dealt with.

Two teenagers died by suicide, another died while in residential care, and a seven-month-old baby died from sudden unexpected death in infancy (SUDI). The cause of death was not revealed in one case. The reports were published by the National Review Panel (NRP).

In all cases, the reviews state that “it has found no evidence that action or inaction by the HSE services involved with [the child] directly contributed to [his or her] death”, but numerous shortcomings are highlighted, as well as the children’s backgrounds, which often involved domestic violence, family instability, and alcohol or drug abuse in the home.