Health board criticised for foster-care blunder

The Ombudsman has criticised a former health board for messing up efforts to get three siblings into foster care.

In a report out today, Emily O'Reilly says poor communication between social workers and the unnamed health board impacted on a couple's attempts to foster the children in 2001.

She says the board's actions saw it lose a window of opportunity that could have led to a different outcome for the children, who remain in residential care today.

Ms O'Reilly says she is highlighting the issue so that future dealings with potential foster parents and fair and unambiguous.