Chronic shortage of foster care placements needs an urgent solution

Many children who could thrive in loving family environments are instead subjected to institutional care, robbing them of their fundamental human right to experience family life, writes Róisín Clarke

'We have a chronic shortage of placements for children in care, which has dire consequences for the well-being of these children. The fact that vulnerable children are being placed in hotels and B&Bs because the state cannot provide sufficient care is a national disgrace.'

In July of this year, we were confronted with stark revelations that should shake the conscience of every citizen in Ireland. The Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA), a state agency, sounded an alarm, a distress call that cannot be ignored. The distressing truth they revealed is that the Irish State, a country that touts its commitment to human rights and child welfare, is failing its most vulnerable children.

HIQA's findings are nothing short of a damning indictment of the state of our child protection services. The report stated: "The lack of appropriate alternative placements for children in care requires a national strategic approach." It highlights the "significant and increasing challenges" in ensuring enough capacity to maintain existing levels of care. We cannot gloss over the fact that our children’s services are struggling to meet the basic needs of these children.