Many children in Ireland living in climate of 'uncertainty and instability' — Children's Ombudsman

Ombudsman for Children Dr Niall Muldoon: 'There are some parents of children with complex disabilities who are being forced to leave their children at hospitals and special schools in the hope of triggering the right supports and services they need to care for them at home.' Picture: Maxwells

Many children in Ireland are living in a climate of “uncertainty and instability”, the Ombudsman has warned, after a recording an increase in the number of complex complaints last year.

Ombudsman for Children Niall Muldoon said children were being hardest hit by the crises facing Ireland, such as housing and the cost of living, but that the State is being protected from having to fulfil its obligations to them as they are “not necessarily seen as children’s issues”.

“In addition, the State is failing to meet its commitments and obligations to children in relation to accessing essential services for those with disabilities and children in State care, as well as not providing all the school places required,” he said in the agency’s annual report.

Dr Muldoon’s office received 1,790 complaints in 2023, a drop of 22 on the previous year. However, there was a “notable increase” in the complexity of cases, with one in five complaints relating to multiple agencies.

Education was the issue most complained about to the Ombudsman (40% of all complaints), with issues such as access to school places, bullying, school transport, the State Examinations Commission and access to complaint procedures in schools all featuring.

Next came health (23%) with complaints on services within hospitals, mental health services, children’s disability network teams and HSE-funded supports for children.

The same proportion of complaints (23%) related to Tusla, centering on children living in residential and secure care, interagency work between services, the complaint process and access to Tusla interventions and supports.

Other complaints related to local authority housing, housing for children disabilities and complaints about early learning settings. 

The Ombudsman said the complaints related to such settings was significant as there is no robust oversight of the complaints in this area.

One third of cases were in Dublin, while Cork saw just under one in 10 of all complaints. In most cases (82%), complaints came from parents, while 3% came from the children themselves.

Dr Muldoon said: “There are some parents of children with complex disabilities who are being forced to leave their children at hospitals and special schools in the hope of triggering the right supports and services they need to care for them at home. While we are also still concerned about the safety and welfare of children in direct provision.

“For many children, thankfully, Ireland is indeed a great place to grow up in and they are living happy and fulfilled lives. But this is not the case for all.”