Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 20 March 2013
444. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she has established an independent child death review unit to review all incidences of death or serious injury of a child while in the care of the State as committed to in the aftermath of the publication of the independent child death report. [13699/13]
View answer445. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of independent reviews that have taken place as recommended by the independent child death review group. [13700/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 444 and 445 together.
I indicated when I published the report of the Independent Child Death Review Group that I welcome the findings and recommendations of this report, and that I accept fully the need for action in the areas identified.
Many of the actions and reforms identified by the Review Group are already under way as part of this Government’s reform programme, the most radical reform of child welfare and protection services ever undertaken in the State. Responding to the ICDRG recommendations forms an integral part of the ‘change management programme’ being developed by the senior management team of the new Child & Family Support Agency, led by Project Director Gordon Jeyes. This programme involves over 100 individual reform projects; and through these initiatives the responses to many of the ICDRG recommendations will be mainstreamed into the work programme of the new Agency. The lack of transparency into what was happening to children and young people known to the State has been corrected by the creation in 2010 of the National Review Panel for Deaths and Serious Incidents, chaired by Dr. Helen Buckley. It allows for timely reviews and quick feedback to the system on changes required as well as identifying individual or systemic risks which need immediate action. The National Review Panel was established by the HSE on foot of guidance from the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA). The Review Panel is independently chaired by Dr. Helen Buckley, and is mandated to review all serious incidents involving children in care, to include deaths in care. While the group was established by the HSE it has an independent role and receives independent legal advice. The Panel produces and publishes reports that are entirely objective and independent of the HSE.
The HSE has committed to reviewing a number of the cases covered by the Child Death Review Report. Reviews are at the planning stage and it is expected they will be commenced over the coming months.
