Numbers in Oberstown fall to historically low levels

Previous research has shown that 71% of those detained at Oberstown Children Detention Campus (pictured) were considered to have substance misuse, more than half were not engaged in education prior to detention, and 41% were either in care before detention or had significant involvement with Tusla. File picture: Colin Keegan

The country's main youth detention facility managed the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic by facilitating the early release of 29 children, including 22 who were able to serve the remainder of their sentence in the community.

The insight is included in a new book on Oberstown Children Detention Campus by the chair of the Board of Management, Professor Ursula Kilkelly, and by its former director, Pat Bergin, in which they also outline the steps which have resulted in historically low levels of detention there.