Own volition investigation into the HSE’s (now Tusla –the Child and Family Agency) registration, inspection and monitoring service for private and voluntary children’s residential centres.

In March 2013 the Ombudsman for Children decided to carry out a preliminary examination of her own volition into HSE registration, monitoring and inspection of voluntary and private residential centres for children in the care of the State.

There is a range of placement provision for children in care including foster care, mainstream residential care, high support and special care. Information obtained through the examination and investigation of complaints indicates that mainstream residential includes statutory centres as well as provision through the voluntary and private sector.

The Office decided to carry out a preliminary examination in order to gain an understanding of the HSE (now Tusla-Child and Family Agency) registration, inspection and monitoring processes on a national basis. A preliminary examination is carried out in the first instance in order to determine whether an investigation by this Office is required and

warranted. As a result of the Preliminary Examination OCO had potential concern about:

• The process and procedures used to guide inspections of private and voluntary residential centres for children is unclear and potential concern about whether the same standards of inspection are applied as for children in statutory residential centres;
• A lack of clarity in relation to whether there is consistency across all inspection teams in relation to the process and procedures followed for inspection.
• The level of national oversight of monitoring and inspection is unclear including what review and audit of inspection and monitoring is undertaken by National office.
• A lack of independent oversight of the standards applied in the carrying out of such inspections.

• February 2015
• Type: Investigation
• Topic: Children in care