HSE chiefs apologise over care deaths miscalculations

HSE chiefs admitted to shortcomings in their child protection services today as they explained how they miscalculated the number of deaths of young people in State care.

The organisation’s chief executive Professor Brendan Drumm and director for primary community and continuing care Laverne McGuinness were brought before a Dáil committee after weeks of severe criticism over the handling of minors in its care and a lack of information on deaths.

Ms McGuinness, who told the public accounts committee in March that the number of children who died in State care was 20, said the revised figure of 37 deaths came after new guidance from the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) and a request from Minister for Children Barry Andrews.

“We went back out to our social services around the country with far more precise definitions of the information which was required,” she said.

The final figure included 18 youngsters who were killed, died from drugs, by suicide or in accidents.

Not all deaths by natural causes had been included in the first estimate and two accidental deaths and one drug-related death were also identified during the second count, Ms McGuinness said.

The director admitted the process had been beset with delays and social workers had been using a localised, manual system.

“The compilation of this new information was a manual process as the records do not exist in one central location or database,” she said.

“Notwithstanding this, this exercise was not completed as quickly as we would have wished and this delay has reflected badly on our child and family services.”

But Ms McGuinness insisted services were improving, with a special taskforce appointed and a new computerised system for records being introduced.

“There are gaps and there are deficiencies and we’re addressing them as best we can with the resources that are available,” she added.

Labour TD Roisin Shortall claimed the HSE was incapable of providing services for children in care.

“If they were important to you would have a system in place to meet their needs,” she said.

“I don’t have any confidence that the HSE are going to take this matter seriously.”

Professor Drumm said children in care deserved to receive all the support they required.

“I think there was an acceptance widely that children who died of natural causes were not reported – you can argue that that’s right or wrong,” he said.

“Going forward we accept that every death should be electronically recorded.”

Earlier this week the funeral mass of murdered teenager Daniel McAnaspie, who was in HSE care, heard state neglect and an under-resourced childcare system were key factors in his death.

In a strongly-worded eulogy, Fr Peter McVerry said despite the interventions of concerned social workers, the childcare system could not protect the 17-year-old.