Children being let down by agencies

Children are being let down by public bodies such as the HSE and Tusla who fail to keep their best interests at heart and by a mental health service where psychiatrists are not routinely available to suicidal young people.

The failings are highlighted in the Annual Report 2017 of the Ombudsman for Children, where the number of new complaints received in a single year hit an all-time high of 1,755.

Ombudsman Niall Muldoon said State bodies responsible for children’s welfare need to show some “joined-up thinking” instead of abdicating responsibility, and that Tusla and An Garda Síochána need to speed up the co-location of child protection services.