Boy Found Dead in Ditch 24th - or 200th ? Child to Die in Our (HSE) "Care" in 10 Years

[bernadette]

Baby P

I know! Its horrific and so badly handled that the manager in charge has actually won compensation for wrongful dismissal!

I don't believe we are always told the truth of these cases. I think intimidation of social workers may be at the back of some.

As for the doctor who turned that child away. Hanging springs to mind.....and would be too good!

[C. Flower]

A Drivetime reporter took the trouble to interview some of the young people on Dublin's streets in HSE "Aftercare." The interviews were heartrending. These young people, for who everything has gone horribly wrong, had hated being in care and hated social workers. They were not all on drugs. They are left wandering the streets with nothing to do, no money and nowhere to go.
Unreal, when the country is awash with empty flats.

For a child, being taken out of the home must always be traumatic: support for parents and children in the home should come first. Of the four interviewed, one was a girl who had been beaten and abused at home, and didn't want to go home. For the other three, "care" and "aftercare" had been a disaster. They are on the streets sleeping rough tonight.

[bernadette]

A Drivetime reporter took the trouble to interview some of the young people on Dublin's streets in HSE "Aftercare." The interviews were heartrending. These young people, for who everything has gone horribly wrong, had hated being in care and hated social workers. They were not all on drugs. They are left wandering the streets with nothing to do, no money and nowhere to go.
Unreal, when the country is awash with empty flats.

For a child, being taken out of the home must always be traumatic: support for parents and children in the home should come first. Of the four interviewed, one was a girl who had been beaten and abused at home, and didn't want to go home. For the other three, "care" and "aftercare" had been a disaster. They are on the streets sleeping rough tonight.

We are better than this. There's four million of us and we can't take care of our own young. We should be able to ensure that all young people have a roof over their heads. If some of them continue to have problems, and probably most of them would, it would be easier to deal with if we knew where they were going at night.

[fluffybiscuits]

[/B]

We are better than this. There's four million of us and we can't take care of our own young. We should be able to ensure that all young people have a roof over their heads. If some of them continue to have problems, and probably most of them would, it would be easier to deal with if we knew where they were going at night.

+1

If I could get cheaper rent to rent a place by myself and some support off the state (not financial but emotional and guidance) I would take in a youngster of 12 or 13 and give them a chance. Dont get me wrong Im not a replacement parent nor would I be able to be a good disciplinarian but perhaps could offer some young lad a chance to aid him in his journey through life.

[bernadette]

+1

If I could get cheaper rent to rent a place by myself and some support off the state (not financial but emotional and guidance) I would take in a youngster of 12 or 13 and give them a chance. Dont get me wrong Im not a replacement parent nor would I be able to be a good disciplinarian but perhaps could offer some young lad a chance to aid him in his journey through life.

Its weird anyone can have and abuse a child but people with the best intentions can be refused a child because someone decides they are unsuitable!

The age you mention is a crucial period in a childs life. It is during those early juvenile years that a child will try drugs, run away from home for good or both and begin the downward spiral.

I think Social services need to lighten the criteria they use for vetting people who want to foster or adopt older children. A child of that age is well able to complain and its not as if the social worker would, in a properly run system, completely disappear.

[fluffybiscuits]

Its weird anyone can have and abuse a child but people with the best intentions can be refused a child because someone decides they are unsuitable!

The age you mention is a crucial period in a childs life. It is during those early juvenile years that a child will try drugs, run away from home for good or both and begin the downward spiral.

I think Social services need to lighten the criteria they use for vetting people who want to foster or adopt older children. A child of that age is well able to complain and its not as if the social worker would, in a properly run system, completely disappear.

Again on the ball again bernadette! They do need guidance, impartial and non judgemental to help them. The years are the years when peer pressure holds more sway than parents or social workers, perhaps an approach to be seen as one of the youngsters peers might be an approach rather than acting as a parent.Not sure I would lighten the criteria for vetting people but perhaps speed it up to take into account how it may be worked better. You are correct though they can complain, a complaints procedure put in place. Perhaps have them form a union of sorts to work for their rights

[Andrew49]

Dan O'Brien - Economics Editor - manages to get a dig in at public sector workers over the deaths of these children. In the diatribe he produces this gem:

The balance between the rights of workers to protection and the rights of managers to manage is excessively skewed towards the former in the public sector. Tilting the balance towards the one that exists in the private sector must be recognised and made a priority of the reform agenda. SOURCE

Dan must have forgotten that the child abuse mentioned in the Ryan Report were done in private institutions under private management. Indeed the only State interest in those places was the capitation grant and the odd inspection. Also the management of the institutions fought successfully to keep private their financial accounts from State inspection.

[C. Flower]

Dan O'Brien - Economics Editor - manages to get a dig in at public sector workers over the deaths of these children. In the diatribe he produces this gem:

Dan must have forgotten that the child abuse mentioned in the Ryan Report were done in private institutions under private management. Indeed the only State interest in those places was the capitation grant and the odd inspection. Also the management of the institutions fought successfully to keep private their financial accounts from State inspection.

While things can always be done better, and more professionally, but when drug and alcohol addiction comes into a family, as this report says was the case about 50% of the time, things can go horribly wrong, in such a way as social workers can't always fix.

But I suspect that there are social attitudes going on too that should be looked at. Children need to feel unconditionally loved and accepted and not looked down on.

[C. Flower]

The Sunday Business Post is (John Burke and Ian Kehoe) is reporting that one in four foster parents is still unvetted. This was mentioned when the recent report was published, and has been confirmed in HSE regional audits shown to the press this weekend. In Dublin South East, according to the SBP Managers have not been getting Garda clearance for foster parents. In Dublin West, in a sample of ten foster placements, there had been no review of placements after 3 years. Three out of the four regional reports found the foster services inadequate.

[C. Flower]

200 children die in State care / supervision, and barely a word out of anyone. Compare with the reaction to the sad murder of Michaela Harte - Tommy O'Gorman goes to Mauritius with a crew for two months. Enda Kenny has managed a second comment in two days.

[Andrew49]

Its the hierarchy of victims. Sure who wants to read about 200 dead children? Isn't Irish society famous for the care and kindness it gives its most deprived and vulnerable children? As long as that 'care and kindness' is kept where its dark, full of fear, suffering and violence!

[bernadette]

There appears to be a staff shortage in social workers and support staff, why else would routine reports by so long delayed or not done at all.

It would help children, the foster parents and the unemployment numbers if vacancies were filled or where necessary created.

[C. Flower]

Judge giving out as boy is living "Home alone" and stealing to eat.

Perhaps he should be given an allowance and a Home Help ?

http://www.finance.gov.ie/viewdoc.asp?DocID=7321

[bernadette]

Judge giving out as boy is living "Home alone" and stealing to eat.

Perhaps he should be given an allowance and a Home Help ?

http://www.finance.gov.ie/viewdoc.asp?DocID=7321

There is I think a reluctance to recognise that some children/young teenagers may be better off in their own place rather than with their parents, foster or council home.

The home help sounds like a good idea, they could have additional responsibilities to supervise and check the childs lifestyle.

[C. Flower]

A girl in care tried to commit suicide as she was being moved from her residence elsewhere, for reasons of reportedly small savings.

http://www.independent.ie/service/cu...d-3301134.html