Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 12 Feb 2002

Vol. 548 No. 2

Written Answers. - Children in Care.

Austin Currie

Question:

260 Mr. Currie asked the Minister for Health and Children his views on reports (details supplied); the steps he intends to take to ensure that this facility to cater for disturbed children in a high security environment operates in the best interest of children, health care workers and the public; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4647/02]

Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children (Ms Hanafin)

Approximately €38.09 million, £30 million, in capital funding is being made available by this Government through the health boards to put in place additional high support and special care places to provide for a small group of children who need more intensive intervention than mainstream residential or foster care services. The number of high support and special care places has increased from 17 in 1996 to a current total of 93. Included in this figure is the 24 place purpose built special care unit at Ballydowd in the eastern region which is being opened on a phased basis. An additional 41 places are due to become available by mid 2002.

The South-Western Area Health Board has operational responsibility for the Ballydowd special care unit which caters for young people with serious emotional and behavioural problems who are placed there by order of the High Court. The board provides a wide range of therapy and specialist services in the centre as well as a comprehensive GP service and full-time education programme. The young people in question have very special needs and often their behaviour can be extreme and can include assaults on staff. This is not unusual given the emotional and behavioural difficulties the young people have. To address this the health board has an ongoing training programme for staff which assists them in managing these difficult situations. The health board also provides training for staff in child development and in working with young people who have experienced trauma.

Due to the special care and attention that the current young people in the centre need and the problem of recruitment and retention of suitable staff it has not been possible so far to utilise the centre to its full capacity. I have been informed by the South-Western Area Health Board that interviews took place last week on foot of advertisements placed in English, Scottish and Welsh newspapers in a continuing effort to address this problem. A recruitment agency which specialises in the recruitment of child care workers has also been contracted to assist in the recruitment process.

The social services inspectorate carried out an inspection on Ballydowd special care unit last July, which was very favourable in relation to the management and running of the centre and the quality of care provided to the young people. As it is a special care unit, it is due for annual inspection by the social services inspectorate in March of this year. The South-Western Area Health Board is also carrying out an independent review of the working of the unit and a report is expected shortly.