Gardaí 'stumbling in the dark' when responding to children in mental health crises

Gardaí feel ill-equipped to deal with a child having a mental health crisis. Picture: iStock

Gardaí are often first to the scene in incidents of child mental health crises, but feel they are “stumbling around in the dark” without adequate training or guidance, reports the Policing Authority.

A report published by the authority on Wednesday examines the path children take to psychiatric care, via the criminal justice system, when gardaí are called to the scene of a crisis as first responders.