State inspections to determine risks to vulnerable children

A new child protection and welfare inspection system has been put in place by the Health Inspection and Quality Authority.

The aim of the programme is to ensure that the State is protecting the most vulnerable children and to improve the quality and safety of the existing child services.

It is the first such inspection programme ever to be launched in Ireland which will also set out new standards for care and protection.

Director of Regulations with HIQA, Phelim Quinn, explained more about what inspections will entail.

"We have a team of inspection staff, competent and trained inspection staff, who will go into local offices at local health area level and will assess if the HSE children and family services have all the elements in place to safeguard the needs of children and young people, to make sure that if there's any serious risks, that those risks are being addressed," he said.