Child deaths - Sad reflection on society

Last week, hours before the release of official figures showing that 37 children had died in state care in the past 10 years, senior officials – including Health Minister Mary Harney – were confidently predicting that the previous HSE figure of 23 would be confirmed.

It is alarming that the officials could have been more than 50% out in their prediction.

It was even more disconcerting that five of those deaths were suicides and five others were from drug overdoses while the children were in care. Further figures are due to be released this Friday in line with Health Information and Quality Authority guidelines, including the deaths of children who were not officially in care at the time they died, but had been in ‘substantial’ contact with the HSE.

It would seem to be anybody’s guess as to how many children died in that category. The HSE’s role in all this does not inspire confidence, as even the figures released last week are already being seriously questioned.

A fifth of children in care do not have a specific social worker designated to ensure their welfare. What is everyone’s problem is ultimately no one’s problem. This is not only a sad reflection on the HSE, but an even poorer reflection on a society that tolerates such apparent indifference towards vulnerable children in trouble.