Tusla claims replacement will be found for teen-only hostel due to close in New Year

Lefroy House provides a hostel service for up to seven teenagers aged 12 to 18 and support flats. File photo: Leah Farrell / RollingNews.ie

Tusla has said there are plans to find a replacement service for a teenager-only hostel in Dublin City centre which is due to close.

The Nightlight service at Lefroy House on Eden Quay has been operating for more than 20 years, providing a hostel service for up to seven teenagers aged 12 to 18 and support flats for 17- and 18-year-olds. Nightlight is operated by the Salvation Army and the supported flats are managed by Tusla, but it has emerged both are now withdrawing funding.

@Paschald @MaryLouMcDonald @GaryGannonTD #lefroy house. Wondering what you think about essential services provided by those in LeFroy house and the funding been pulled by TUSLA. Staff called for a meeting yesterday and been made redundant

— Chris Giles (@Gitboy_) December 2, 2020

There have been problems at the facility over the years, but EPIC (Empowering People in Care) said Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Roderic O’Gorman, needed to address how the service will be replaced, especially as it said there was a current shortage of support or step-down accommodation specifically for children and young people, both in Dublin and nationally.

In a statement EPIC said: "To announce the closure of this facility without having a clear and immediate replacement strategy for vulnerable children and young people is simply unacceptable."

However, Tusla said a replacement service would be found.

Told at a meeting on the 1st day after coming out of level 5. At a time when more funding been given to homelessness. These staff who were essential workers all through this pandemic now been told funding is been pulled by TUSLA and Salvation army. Lefroy house and Granby both

— Chris Giles (@Gitboy_) December 2, 2020

"Tusla can confirm that Salvation Army has notified its intention to cease its operation of emergency 24 hours ‘Nightlight’ service at Lefroy House in early 2021," a spokesperson for the agency said. 

"This is a vital emergency service for children and young people, and we would like to reassure the public that plans are already in place to ensure continuity of the provision of emergency services in 2021. Tusla is currently in discussions with the Salvation Army and new service providers.

Shutting down. Shame on this Government. Staff now been unemployed come January. Both of these places will now put young vulnerable children out onto the streets. @MaryLouMcDonald @Paschald these are in your constituency so I would like to know what will you do about this??

— Chris Giles (@Gitboy_) December 2, 2020

"Separately, in 2019, in discussions with the Salvation Army, Tusla indicated its plans to focus on prioritising the emergency out of hours ‘Nightlight’ service to ensure that it could continue to run 24 hours on a long-term basis, and cease funding to the Aftercare Supports Flats. The Aftercare Supports Flats have traditionally catered to a small number of young adults who have been transitioning out of care into independent living and who receive Tusla aftercare services. 

"Tusla aftercare teams will continue to work with young people to ensure that they continue to have the appropriate supports going forward, and access to other housing supports such as CAS housing, student accommodation or others where needed.”

Malcolm Page, Assistant Director of Homelessness Services for The Salvation Army said it operates six major residential centres in Dublin, helping over 200 homeless adults, as well as a specialist emergency accommodation service for about 80 families with young children and all these services will continue.

“However, in recent days we have informed staff in the Lefroy House facility in Dublin, which currently accommodates seven people on short-term stays, that it will close this facility next year," he said.

“Our aim is to enable the small number of young people who use this facility to be accommodated safely and securely in other support services and we will work with Tusla on transition arrangements. The centre will continue to operate for the coming months to make this as smooth as possible.

“This was a difficult decision but to stress, the proposed closure of Lefroy has no impact on other Salvation Army operations in Ireland.

“While we are sad to close Lefroy House, it allows us to refocus our resources into essential services for adults and families. The long-term economic impact of the pandemic is already being felt, which makes our vital work with vulnerable adults and families even more urgent.”