The
Children’s Ombudsman Niall Muldoon has criticised both the HSE and Tusla for
not adequately making plans for disabled children in care.
“It is imperative that every effort is made to support all the exceptionally committed foster carers that are looking after children with moderate to severe disabilities.
SOURCE: THE IRISH EXAMINER:
ENDS:
A
report published today by the Office of the Children’s Ombudsman (OCO) called
Molly Two Years On, outlines significant progress made to improve supports and
services available to children with moderate to profound disabilities in the
care of the State.
However, the report also identifies substantial shortcomings, particularly on
behalf of the HSE.
Dr
Muldoon told RTÉ radio’s Morning Ireland that two years after the OCO first
published Molly’s Case, the HSE still cannot agree with Tusla on the identity
of these children and they still cannot adequately plan for their care. |
Children's Ombudsman Dr Niall Muldoon. Screen Grab Photo:
|
“In
2018 we published Molly’s Case, an investigation we carried out about a child
with a disability who is in foster care.
"She
was abandoned by her biological parents at birth. She is now 16 and has grown
up with her foster family after being placed there soon after she was born.
"Molly
is dependent on her foster carers for feeding, toileting, bathing, and
dressing.
“When Molly’s foster carer came to us we found that neither the HSE nor Tusla
saw Molly as a child in care and also a child with a disability.
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"There
was a lack of co-ordination which meant that services and supports provided by
both organisations were insufficient.
“We
also found that, according to Tusla there were 471 other children like Molly,
yet neither Tusla nor the HSE had a good enough system in place to ensure
adequate supports were being provided.
“When
we published Molly’s case in 2018 both the HSE and Tusla made a number of
significant and ambitious commitments.
"We
revisited this case in 2019, but we were not satisfied with the progress made
so we decided to give the HSE and Tusla another 12-months to fulfil their
commitments.”
Dr
Muldoon said it was incomprehensible that two years on the HSE has still not
managed to come to an agreement with Tusla to identify the children in state care
nationally with moderate to profound disabilities.
“The
HSE is ignoring the spirit of this agreement,” he said.
While the HSE and Tusla have worked together to identify the children who will
turn 18, he said, they could not do the same for younger children.
This
suggests a focus on the financial implications to their budget, rather than a
drive to plan for and provide the best care.
“It is imperative that every effort is made to support all the exceptionally committed foster carers that are looking after children with moderate to severe disabilities.
"Without
their loving care and commitment these children would be facing a life in residential
care.
"However,
in order to provide the appropriate support there must be consensus among those
involved as to who these children are.”
Dr
Muldoon called on both agencies to “mould together”.
He
added that he intends to bring a copy of this report to both the Oireachtas
Joint Committee on Health and the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Children and
Youth Affairs.
“In an effort to mirror the level of cooperation required for this case I will
be urging the two committees to come together and review the report jointly so
as to address the issues arising.”
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SOURCE: THE IRISH EXAMINER:
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